bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Pre-service Science Teachers’ Performance in Nomenclature of Aliphatic Hydrocarbons using Flipped Classroom Instruction
Authors:   Department of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, Oppong Emmanuel , Quansah Francis ,   Department of Science, Foso College of Education, Assin Foso, Ghana, Boachhie Solomon ,   Department of Science, St. Ambrose College of Education, Dorma, Ghana
Published: March 2022

This paper reports on a study that sought to improve pre-service science teachers’ performance in the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) nomenclature of aliphatic hydrocarbons using flipped classroom instructional approach (FCA). The study employed a single group pre- and post-test action research design. The sample size consisted of forty-five (45) 1st year pre-service science teachers of Foso College of Education (FOSCO) taking the Introduction to Organic Chemistry I course. A purposive sampling technique of the non-probability sampling procedure was used to select the pre-service science teachers in an intact class. Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Hydrocarbon Concept Diagnostic Test and Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Hydrocarbon Concept Achievement Test were the research instruments used to collect the data. The instruments were pilot-tested at St. Ambrose College of Education and the reliability index found to be 0.75 for the pre-intervention test and 0.78 for the post-intervention test. After 9 weeks of engaging pre-service science teachers through in-class face-to-face activities and out-of-class online interaction of teaching and learning IUPAC nomenclature of aliphatic hydrocarbons, it came to light that pre-service science teachers’ performance had improved greatly after they have been exposed to FCA as an intervention strategy. It was recommended that College of Education chemistry tutors should adopt newly interactive and innovative instructional strategies such as the FCA so as to help pre-service science teachers overcome challenging chemical concepts like the IUPAC nomenclature and other difficult chemistry concepts in and out of colleges or schools.
The Impact of Pre-service Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs on Teaching Science as Inquiry: A Silent Antagonist for Effective Inquiry-Based Science Lessons
Authors:   Human Informatics and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan, Nawanidbumrung Witchayda , Samiphak Sara ,   Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, Inoue Noriyuki ,   Human Informatics and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
Published: March 2022

Teachers’ beliefs are strong predictors of their practices. They guide how teachers understand the implementation of effective inquiry-based lessons. The cross-case analysis indicated that the fundamental problems observed in many Thai pre-service science teachers’ classroom inquiries stemmed from their beliefs on teaching science. Although the teachers agreed on the importance of having students engage in scientific inquiry through hands-on activities, they believed that its purpose was to help students’ sense-making of what the teachers told them. They believed an emphasis should be placed on asking as many knowledge questions as they would like, providing answers, giving procedural instructions to students, and offering specifics of what students should observe in the hands-on activities. The teachers believed that these were effective avenues to help students gain scientific knowledge in terms of concrete experiences. The observed lessons evidenced that teachers failed to elicit students’ interest, curiosity, and engagement in inquiry lessons. This study suggests that pre-service teachers’ benefits from being provided with real-world opportunities to reflect on their educational beliefs and get suitable supports to transform their beliefs for delivering inquiry-based science lessons.
A Comparative Study of Upper Secondary School Biology Curricula in Two Countries: Finland and Nigeria
Authors:   Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland, Nwoke Emeka , Uitto Anna ,   Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland, Lavonen Jari ,   Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
Published: March 2022

Scientific literacy (SL) has been recognized as the main goal of science curricula documents around the world; however, comparative international curriculum research is limited, especially with Western and African countries. To fill this gap, this study aimed to compare the coverage of SL competencies with the components of knowledge, attitudes, and contexts in the upper secondary school biology curricula of Finland and Nigeria. Content analysis was used as a method and a modified version of the SL framework of the Programme for International Student Assessment 2015 (OECD, 2016) was used to analyze the curricula. The results revealed that both curricula contain the main components of SL defined in the framework, scientific knowledge being the most prominent, followed by scientific competencies. Both curricula laid less emphasis on the interpretation competency and attitudes to science component. The curricula differed in the amount of attention paid to the different areas of SL components. The Finnish curriculum focused more on content knowledge, explaining phenomena scientifically and frontiers of science and technology, while in the Nigerian curriculum procedural knowledge, evaluation and design of scientific enquiry and natural resources as context were more emphasized. The results of this study are not only important to the European and African continents but to other parts of the world for the promotion SL in schools, also the findings reinforce the call on curriculum planners and science educators to ensure equal coverage of all the dimensions of SL in the school science curriculum if the next generation of the world is to be scientifically literate.
Рецензия на: Massimo Faggioli, Cattolicesimo nazionalismo cosmopolitismo. Chiesa, società e politica dal Vaticano II a papa Francesco, Roma: Armando Editore, 2018, pp. 176
Authors: Неретин А.И.
Published: March 2022

В фокусе внимания данной рецензии – изданная в 2018 г. на итальянском языке в Риме и не переведенная на русский язык монография профессора факультета богословия и религиоведения Университета Виллановы в Филадельфии (США) Массимо Фаджоли «Католицизм, национализм, космополитизм. Церковь, общество и политика от Второго Ватикансого собора до папы Франциска». Научный труд посвящен анализу места и роли Римско-католической церкви в общественной жизни после II Ватиканского собора 1962 года, а также после скандальных событий, связанных с обвинениями в сексуальных домогательствах со стороны ряда католических священников. Автор скрупулёзно исследует изменение отношений внутри Католической церкви во времена папы Франциска, привлекая к этому большое количество церковных документов и других материалов. Однако, по мнению рецензента, в работе не хватает слов о таком значимом для Римско-католической церкви событии, как подписание Латеранских соглашений, в ходе которых Ватикан получил независимость.
In English:
This is a review of a monograph «Catholicism, nationalism, cosmopolitanism. Church, Society and Politics from the Second Vatican Council to Pope Francis» by Massimo Faggioli, professor at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University in Philadelphia (USA). The book was published in 2018 in Rome in the Italian language and has not been translated into Russian yet. The author analyses the place and the role of the Roman Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council (1062) and after the scandalous allegations of sexual harassment by a number of Catholic priests. He scrupulously studies the changes in relations within the Catholic Church during the time of Pope Francis, involving a large number of church documents and other sources. However, the reviewer expresses an opinion that the book lacks information about the signing of the Lateran Pacts – a significant event for the Roman Catholic Church, which resulted in the Vatican’s independence.
Phytohormones as Growth Regulators During Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants
Authors: EL Sabagh Ayman , Islam Mohammad Sohidul , Hossain Akbar , Iqbal Muhammad Aamir , Mubeen Muhammad , Waleed Mirza , Reginato Mariana , Battaglia Martin , Ahmed Sharif , Rehman Abdul , Arif Muhammad , Athar Habib-Ur-Rehman , Ratnasekera Disna , Danish Subhan , Raza Muhammad Ali , Rajendran Karthika , Mushtaq Muntazir , Skalicky Milan , Brestic Marian , Soufan Walid , Fahad Shah , Pandey Saurabh , Kamran Muhammad , Datta Rahul , Abdelhamid Magdi T.
Published: March 2022

Phytohormones (PHs) play crucial role in regulation of various physiological and biochemical processes that govern plant growth and yield under optimal and stress conditions. The interaction of these PHs is crucial for plant survival under stressful environments as they trigger signaling pathways. Hormonal cross regulation initiate a cascade of reactions which finely tune the physiological processes in plant architecture that help plant to grow under suboptimal growth conditions. Recently, various studies have highlighted the role of PHs such as abscisic acid, salicylic acid, ethylene, and jasmonates in the plant responses toward environmental stresses. The involvement of cytokinins, gibberellins, auxin, and relatively novel PHs such as strigolactones and brassinosteroids in plant growth and development has been documented under normal and stress conditions. The recent identification of the first plant melatonin receptor opened the door to this regulatory molecule being considered a new plant hormone. However, polyamines, which are not considered PHs, have been included in this chapter. Various microbes produce and secrete hormones which helped the plants in nutrient uptake such as N, P, and Fe. Exogenous use of such microbes help plants in correcting nutrient deficiency under abiotic stresses. This chapter focused on the recent developments in the knowledge related to PHs and their involvement in abiotic stresses of anticipation, signaling, cross-talk, and activation of response mechanisms. In view of role of hormones and capability of microbes in producing hormones, we propose the use of hormones and microbes as potential strategy for crop stress management.
Association of Impaired Fasting Blood Glucose With Triple Coronary Artery Stenosis and Myocardial Infarction Among Patients With Coronary Artery Stenosis
Authors: Chen Chang , Chen Yequn , Xiao Jiaxin , Zhang Yanhong , Yang Zhaorui , Yang Peixuan , Lu Nan , Yi Kaihong , Chen Xiaojun , Chen Shaoxin , O'Gara MSc Mary Clare , O'Meara Michael , Ye Shu , Tan Xuerui
Published: March 2022

Background: The association between impaired fasting glucose level (IFG) and coronary heart disease (CAD) remain controversial. In the present study, we sought to ascertain a relationship of IFG with the number of diseased coronary artery and occurrence of myocardial infarction, among CAD cases.

Methods: We studied 1,451 consecutive no-diabetic patients who underwent coronary angiography at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College in Southern China. Demographic, biochemical, clinical and angiographic data were collected.

Results: The prevalence of IFG was higher in patients with angiographically confirmed CAD than in subjects without angiographic evidence of CAD (33.4 versus 28.2%, p = 0.034). Compared with CAD cases without IFG, CAD cases with IFG had a higher odds ratio (OR) of having triple-vessel disease as opposed to having single- or double-vessel disease [OR = 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13–2.07]. Furthermore, the occurrence of MI was higher in CAD cases with IFG than in CAD cases without IFG (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.27–2.36).

Conclusions: There is an association between IFG and a predisposition to severe CAD indicated by triple vessel disease or myocardial infarction.
The Role of Ferroptosis in the Treatment and Drug Resistance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Zhao Siqi , Zheng Wubin , Yu Chao , Xu Gaoxin , Zhang Xinyi , Pan Chao , Feng Yongheng , Yang Kunxing , Zhou Jin , Ma Yong
Published: March 2022

Cell death is a fundamental feature of multicellular organisms’ development and a key driver of degenerative diseases. Ferroptosis is a new regulatory cell death mediated by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, which is different from apoptosis and necrosis in morphology, pathophysiology and mechanism. Recent studies have found that ferroptosis is involved in the development of many diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As further research progresses, specific mechanisms of ferroptosis in HCC are being revealed. In this review, we summarize these recent advances about the treatment of drug-resistance in HCC and the latest ferroptosis-related treatment for HCC.
The Role of IL-17-Mediated Inflammatory Processes in the Pathogenesis of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Herniation: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Suyama Kaori , Sakai Daisuke , Watanabe Masahiko
Published: March 2022

It has been reported that degenerated and herniated lumbar intervertebral discs show high expression of IL-17, suggesting that local immune reactions occur in patients with low back pain. While clinical sample analyses from different laboratories confirm this, it is not deeply not known on how IL-17 is induced in the pathology and their interactions with other inflammatory responses. This conscience review organizes current laboratory findings on this topic and present trajectory for full understanding on the role of IL-17 in pathology of intervertebral disc disease.
Nasal Bacterial Microbiome Differs Between Healthy Controls and Those With Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Chen Meiping , He Shiyi , Miles Phoebe , Li Chunlin , Ge Yijun , Yu Xuechan , Wang Linfeng , Huang Weina , Kong Xue , Ma Shanni , Li Yiting , Jiang Qingwen , Zhang Wen , Cao Chao
Published: March 2022

Perturbation of the microbiome has numerous associations with the phenotypes and progression in chronic airways disease. However, the differences in the nasal microbiome in asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) have not been defined. We examined whether the nasal microbiome would vary among different comorbidities in asthma and AR and that those differences may be associated with the severity of asthma. Nasal lavage fluid was collected from 110 participants, including 20 healthy controls, 30 subjects with AR, 30 subjects with asthma and 30 subjects with combined asthma + AR. The Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-7) was used to evaluate asthma control status. Using 16S rRNA bacterial gene sequencing, we analyzed nasal microbiome in patients with asthma, AR, combined asthma + AR, and healthy controls. Bacterial diversity was analyzed in corresponding with α diversity indices (Chao and Shannon index). Compared with healthy controls, the Chao index tended to be lower in subjects with AR (P = 0.001), asthma (P = 0.001), and combined asthma + AR (P = 0.001) when compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, the Shannon index was significantly lower in subjects with asthma (P = 0.013) and comorbid asthma with AR (P = 0.004) than the control subjects. Disparity in the structure and composition of nasal bacteria were also observed among the four groups. Furthermore, patients with combined asthma + AR and isolated asthma were divided into two groups according to the level of disease control: partially or well-controlled and uncontrolled asthma. The mean relative abundance observed in the groups mentioned the genera of Pseudoflavonifractor were dominated in patients with well and partially controlled disease, in both isolated asthma and combined asthma + AR. In subjects with uncontrolled asthma and combined asthma + AR, a lower evenness and richness (Shannon index, P = 0.040) was observed in nasal microbiome composition. Importantly, lower evenness and richness in the nasal microbiome may be associated with poor disease control in combined asthma + AR. This study showed the upper airway microbiome is associated with airway inflammation disorders and the level of asthma control.
That Fine Rain That Soaks You Through. Exploring the Role of Weather Lore, Cultural Identity, and Community Memory in Shaping Attitudes to Climate Change
Authors: Hall Alexander
Published: March 2022

As the limitations of climate change communication, which focusses on the dissemination of scientific knowledge has become apparent, climate studies scholars have called for richer, less reductive approaches. This includes adopting more emotive language, which is sensitive to the myriad ways communities understand and know their own environ and climate. While on the surface, the recent emotive turn of popular discourse on anthropogenic climate change seems to heed this call, the communication approaches most commonly associated with these developments are limited in their ability to reach diverse communities. This article attempts to address this gap and contribute to affecting action in a manner which is both proportionate with the immediate climate risk, but also successful in engaging a range of groups within the community. Exploring the links between weather lore, cultural identity, and memory in shaping individual perceptions of climate risks, the article asks how such identities, both at the community and individual level, might have informed indifference or inaction with regards to climate change. Adopting a style that situates the author within the narrative, this essay uses Manchester, England and its popular reputation as ‘the rainy city' to explore these themes. Charting the history of the popularization of the meteorological myth that Manchester receives excessive amounts of rainfall, the article exposes how this folklore is bound up in regional cultural identity and civic pride, first as “Cottonopolis” at the vanguard of the Industrial Revolution, and then in the city's post-industrial rebranding as a place known for music, comedy, and sporting successes. In drawing these threads through community, familial and individual narratives, the article concludes by outlining how we might better utilize affection and cultural identification with local environments and weather to promote future behavior change.
Prevalence and Mortality of Moderate or Severe Mitral Regurgitation Among Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With or Without Heart Failure: Results From CIN Study With 28,358 Patients
Authors: Huang Haozhang , Liu Jin , Bao Kunming , Huang Xiaoyu , Huang Dehua , Wei Haiyan , Remutula Nuerbahaer , Tuersun Tilakezi , Lai Wenguang , Li Qiang , Wang Bo , He Yibo , Yang Heyin , Chen Shiqun , Chen Jiyan , Chen Kaihong , Tan Ning , Wang Xiaoyan , Chen Liling , Liu Yong
Published: March 2022

Aim

This study investigated the prevalence and mortality associated with moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (MR) among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with or without heart failure (HF).

Methods

We analyzed patients undergoing PCI without mitral valve surgery from the Cardiorenal ImprovemeNt (CIN) study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04407936). Patients without echocardiography to determine MR occurrence or lacking follow-up death data were excluded. Primary endpoints were 1-year and long-term all-cause mortality, with a median follow-up time of 5 years (interquartile range: 3.1–7.6).

Results

Of 28,358 patients undergoing PCI treatment [mean age: 62.7 ± 10.7; women: 6,749 (25.6%)], 3,506 (12.4%) had moderate or severe MR, and there was a higher rate of moderate or severe MR in HF group than non-HF group (28.8 vs. 5.6%, respectively). Regardless of HF conditions, patients with moderate or severe MR were older and had worse cardio-renal function and significantly increased 1-year mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.51–2.2], and long-term mortality [aHR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.3–1.58]. There was no significant difference between patients with HF and those with non-HF (P for interaction > 0.05).

Conclusion

One-eighth of the patients undergoing PCI had moderate or severe MR. Furthermore, one-third and one-seventeenth experienced moderate or severe MR with worse cardiorenal function in the HF and non-HF groups, and increased consistent mortality risk. Further studies should explore the efficacy of mitral interventional procedures for moderate or severe MR after PCI treatment, regardless of HF.
Gender-Based Association of Coronary Artery Calcification and Framingham Risk Score With Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Abdominal Obesity in Taiwanese Adults, a Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Tsou Meng-Ting , Chen Jau-Yuan
Published: March 2022

Background

It is not certain whether non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or abdominal obesity (AO) has stronger associations with atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) risk across different genders. The purpose of this study was to determine the gender-based association of NAFLD and AO with subclinical atherosclerosis represented by coronary artery calcification (CAC) and CAD risk by Framingham risk score (FRS).

Methods

A total of 1,655 participants in a health-screening program (mean age: 49.44 years; males: 70.33%) were enrolled for analysis. Fatty liver and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) were measured via ultrasonography (US) and multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). The presence of CAC was defined as having a CACS > 0, intermediate to high CAD risk was defined as FRS ≥ 10%, while the presence of AO was defined as having a waist circumference (WC) of ≥90 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women. Participants were categorized into four groups depending on the presence or absence of NAFLD and/or AO.

Results

The percentage of subjects with CACS > 0 was highest in the AO-only group (overall: 42.6%; men: 48.4%; women: 35.8%); and FRS ≥ 10% was highest in the group with both abnormalities (overall: 50.3%%; men: 57.3%; women: 32.4%). After adjustment factors, the odds ratio (OR) for CAC and FRS was the highest in the group with both abnormalities [men: 1.61 (1.13–2.30) for CACS > 0 and 5.86 (3.37–10.20) for FRS ≥ 10%; women: 2.17 (1.13–4.16) for CACS > 0 and 6.31 (2.08–19.10) for FRS ≥ 10%]. In men, the OR of NAFLD was higher than that of AO [1.37 (1.03–1.83) vs. 1.35 (1.02–1.79) for CACS > 0, 3.26 (2.13–4.98) vs. 2.97 (1.91–4.62) for FRS ≥ 10%]. However, women with AO consistently showed increased OR for CACS > 0 [1.87 (1.11–3.16)] and FRS ≥ 10% [4.77 (2.01–11.34)].

Conclusion

The degree of association of NAFLD and AO with CAC and FRS depends on the gender. NAFLD is more closely associated with CACS > 0 and FRS ≥ 10% in men and AO in women, respectively. NAFLD and AO could be considered independent determinants of CAC and FRS by gender.
Yedoma Cryostratigraphy of Recently Excavated Sections of the CRREL Permafrost Tunnel Near Fairbanks, Alaska
Authors: Kanevskiy Mikhail , Shur Yuri , Bigelow Nancy H. , Bjella Kevin L. , Douglas Thomas A. , Fortier Daniel , Jones Benjamin M. , Jorgenson M. Torre
Published: March 2022

Recent excavation in the new CRREL Permafrost Tunnel in Fox, Alaska provides a unique opportunity to study properties of Yedoma — late Pleistocene ice- and organic-rich syngenetic permafrost. Yedoma has been described at numerous sites across Interior Alaska, mainly within the Yukon-Tanana upland. The most comprehensive data on the structure and properties of Yedoma in this area have been obtained in the CRREL Permafrost Tunnel near Fairbanks — one of the most accessible large-scale exposures of Yedoma permafrost on Earth, which became available to researchers in the mid-1960s. Expansion of the new ∼4-m-high and ∼4-m-wide linear excavations, started in 2011 and ongoing, exposes an additional 300 m of well-preserved Yedoma and provides access to sediments deposited over the past 40,000 years, which will allow us to quantify rates and patterns of formation of syngenetic permafrost, depositional history and biogeochemical characteristics of Yedoma, and its response to a warmer climate. In this paper, we present results of detailed cryostratigraphic studies in the Tunnel and adjacent area. Data from our study include ground-ice content, the stable water isotope composition of the variety of ground-ice bodies, and radiocarbon age dates. Based on cryostratigraphic mapping of the Tunnel and results of drilling above and inside the Tunnel, six main cryostratigraphic units have been distinguished: 1) active layer; 2) modern intermediate layer (ice-rich silt); 3) relatively ice-poor Yedoma silt reworked by thermal erosion and thermokarst during the Holocene; 4) ice-rich late Pleistocene Yedoma silt with large ice wedges; 5) relatively ice-poor fluvial gravel; and 6) ice-poor bedrock. Our studies reveal significant differences in cryostratigraphy of the new and old CRREL Permafrost Tunnel facilities. Original syngenetic permafrost in the new Tunnel has been better preserved and less affected by erosional events during the period of Yedoma formation, although numerous features (e.g., bodies of thermokarst-cave ice, thaw unconformities, buried gullies) indicate the original Yedoma silt in the recently excavated sections was also reworked to some extent by thermokarst and thermal erosion during the late Pleistocene and Holocene.
Projected 21st-Century Glacial Lake Evolution in High Mountain Asia
Authors: Furian Wilhelm , Maussion Fabien , Schneider Christoph
Published: March 2022

In High Mountain Asia (HMA), rising temperatures and retreating glaciers are leading to the formation of new glacial lakes and the expansion of existing ones. The sudden release of water from such lakes can lead to devastating glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) threatening people and infrastructure for many kilometers downstream. Therefore, information on future glacial lakes, e.g., their location, area and volume as well as the timing of their development, is vital for sustainable development of settlements and infrastructures. In this study, we present comprehensive estimates for future glacial lake development in HMA with unprecedented temporal resolution. We rely on an ensemble of fifteen global climate models using the newest CMIP6 data and employ a set of four Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios. With the Open Global Glacier Model (OGGM), we use a modeling framework that explicitly simulates glacier dynamics in order to model glacier change until 2100 and estimate the formation period for each of the 2,700 largest future glacial lakes (>0.1 km2) in HMA. We estimate the glacial lake area in the entire region to grow by 474 ± 121 km2 for SSP126 and 833 ± 148 km2 for SSP585. Following recent estimates of currently existing glacial lakes (>0.1 km2), this would constitute an increase in lake area of ∼120–∼210% in 2100 compared to 2018. The lake volume is expected to increase by 22.8 ± 6.7 km3 for SSP126 and 39.7 ± 7.7 km3 for SSP585. This range includes a drastic tenfold increase in lake volume, from estimated 3.9 km3 in 2018 to 43.6 ± 7.7 km3 in 2100. However, there is a considerable spread between total and relative increase in glacial lake area and volume for different sub-regions of High Mountain Asia. As both, lake area and lake volume, could to lead to an increase in GLOF risk, the results emphasize the urgent need for more localized, in-depth studies at especially vulnerable locations in order to enable local communities to adapt to emerging challenges, to implement risk minimization measures, and to improve sustainable development in High Mountain Asia.
Study on the Overburden Failure Law of High-Intensity Mining in Gully Areas With Exposed Bedrock
Authors: Yi Tan , Han Xu , Weitao Yan , Wenbing Guo , Erhu Bai , Tingye Qi , Dawei Yin , Bingyuan Hao , Hao Cheng , Minghao Shao
Published: March 2022

Most hilly areas are dotted with gullies, some of which contain plenty of water, especially in rainy seasons. Once surface water penetrates the underground working face, it will lead to an increased water inflow of the working face. Even worse, it may induce water and sand burst accidents. To prevent geological disasters such as water and sand burst and ensure the safe production in coal mines, it is necessary to reveal the development law of “two zones” in the overburden caused by shallow-seam fully mechanized top coal caving high-intensity mining in hilly areas with exposed bedrock and timely grasp the communication between the water-flowing fractured zone (WFFZ) and the water in surface gullies. In this study, the working face P2 of the exposed bedrock surface in the Coal Mine DN is taken as the research object. First, the characteristics of overburden movement and the law of exposed bedrock surface movement in areas with exposed bedrock were investigated through similar simulation. Meanwhile, the temporal–spatial evolution of overburden movement caused by shallow-seam fully mechanized top coal caving high-intensity mining was clarified, and the mode of overburden movement was revealed. Moreover, the reason why the water inflow of the underground working face increases suddenly was theoretically explained. The following conclusions were drawn: Under shallow-seam fully mechanized top coal caving high-intensity mining, the WFFZ of the working face P2 is directly connected to the exposed bedrock surface, and the movement of the overburden is subject to the typical “two-zone” mode. The development height of the WFFZ is greater than the value in the traditional “three-zone” mode calculated according to the empirical formulas. The ratio of the WFFZ height to the mining thickness is 43.75. Under the “two-zone” mode, a water-flowing channel exists in the overburden near the open-off cut and the stopping line. When the surface water source is in the right position, the water inflow of the underground working face will increase suddenly.
A Review of the Valid Methodological Use of Adaptive Comparative Judgment in Technology Education Research
Authors: Buckley Jeffrey , Seery Niall , Kimbell Richard
Published: March 2022

There is a continuing rise in studies examining the impact that adaptive comparative judgment (ACJ) can have on practice in technology education. This appears to stem from ACJ being seen to offer a solution to the difficulties faced in the assessment of designerly activity which is prominent in contemporary technology education internationally. Central research questions to date have focused on whether ACJ was feasible, reliable, and offered broad educational merit. With exploratory evidence indicating this to be the case, there is now a need to progress this research agenda in a more systematic fashion. To support this, a critical review of how ACJ has been used and studied in prior work was conducted. The findings are presented thematically and suggest the existence of internal validity threats in prior research, the need for a theoretical framework and the consideration of falsifiability, and the need to justify and make transparent methodological and analytical procedures. Research questions now of pertinent importance are presented, and it is envisioned that the observations made through this review will support the design of future inquiry.
Continuous Online Assessment at a South African Open Distance and e-Learning Institution
Authors: Fynn Angelo , Mashile Elias Oupa
Published: March 2022

Online assessment and continuous assessment are gaining growing attention from the assessment community. In particular the merger of these two forms of assessment is becoming popular for implementing assessment at scale. In this manuscript we investigate student experiences of the implementation of online continuous assessment at an Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) institution. This study describes the impact of this rapid shift to continuous online assessment, sparked by the COVID pandemic, from the perspectives of students, many of whom were confronted with online assessments for the first time. The South African higher education landscape is marked with inequalities in schooling, internet access, device access and financial resources as it is one of the most unequal countries in the world. An institution wide survey was administered electronically to all students who had taken at least one online continuous assessment module in 2020. Students completed open ended questions about their experiences of undertaking online continuous assessment during the 2020 academic year. The findings of this study found that many students were not adequately prepared for the substantial increase in workload that continuous online assessment entailed; that assessment structures disadvantaged certain groups of students, especially those who worked or managed households; that students’ access to devices and internet were grossly unequal which had a negative effect on their experience of the transition to continuous, online assessment.
The Variation and Correlation of Serum Adiponectin, Nesfatin-1, IL-6, and TNF-α Levels in Prediabetes
Authors: Huang Kangkang , Liang Yunlai , Ma Yating , Wu Jiahui , Luo Huidan , Yi Bin
Published: March 2022

Background

The variation and correlation among adiponectin, nesfatin-1, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6), which may be involved in the development of the decline of health into prediabetes and diabetes, have not been elucidated. This study aims to investigate the roles of these cytokines in this process.

Methods

Seventy-two type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, 75 prediabetics, and 72 healthy individuals were enrolled in our case control study. Serum adiponectin, nesfatin-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 were tested with appropriate kits, and primary data were analyzed with correct methods.

Results

Serum levels of each cytokine in patients with prediabetes were between T2DM and the healthy, and significant differences were found among them. TNF-α and nesfatin-1 levels in T2DM were obviously different compared to prediabetes or the healthy; IL-6 and adiponectin levels in the healthy group were significantly changed in contrast to prediabetes or T2DM. Correlation analysis found that in prediabetics, adiponectin was positively correlated with TNF-α (R = 0.2939, P = 0.0105) and IL-6 (R = 0.3918, P = 0.0005), and their relationship was greatly strengthened in prediabetes accompanied by insulin resistance (TNF-α: R = 0.7732, P < 0.0001, IL-6: R = 0.6663, P = 0.0005). We also demonstrated that declined adiponectin (OR = 6.238, P = 0.019) and nesfatin-1 (OR = 2.812, P = 0.01) and elevated TNF-α (OR = 5.541, P = 0.001) were risk factors for prediabetes toward diabetes.

Conclusions

This research proved significant variations of adiponectin, nesfatin-1, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in the healthy, prediabetics, and T2DM, suggesting a slow and gradual change during the progression from a healthy condition toward diabetes via prediabetes.
Fitness Costs of Maternal Ornaments and Prenatal Corticosterone Manifest as Reduced Offspring Survival and Sexual Ornament Expression
Authors: Assis Braulio A. , Avery Julian D. , Earley Ryan L. , Langkilde Tracy
Published: March 2022

Colorful traits (i.e., ornaments) that signal quality have well-established relationships with individual condition and physiology. Furthermore, ornaments expressed in females may have indirect fitness effects in offspring via the prenatal physiology associated with, and social consequences of, these signaling traits. Here we examine the influence of prenatal maternal physiology and phenotype on condition-dependent signals of their offspring in adulthood. Specifically, we explore how prenatal maternal testosterone, corticosterone, and ornament color and size correlate with female and male offspring survival to adulthood and ornament quality in the lizard Sceloporus undulatus. Offspring of females with more saturated badges and high prenatal corticosterone were less likely to survive to maturity. Badge saturation and area were negatively correlated between mothers and their male offspring, and uncorrelated to those in female offspring. Maternal prenatal corticosterone was correlated negatively with badge saturation of male offspring in adulthood. Our results indicate that maternal ornamentation and prenatal concentrations of a stress-relevant hormone can lead to compounding fitness costs by reducing offspring survival to maturity and impairing expression of a signal of quality in surviving males. This mechanism may occur in concert with social costs of ornamentation in mothers. Intergenerational effects of female ornamentation and prenatal stress may be interdependent drivers of balancing selection and intralocus sexual conflict over signaling traits.
RETRACTED: Research on Rural Revitalization and Governance From the Perspective of Sustainable Development
Authors: Xu Lu , Zhao Hongyang , Chernova Veronika , Strielkowski Wadim , Chen Guannan
Published: March 2022

The Chinese government has long attached great importance to rural revitalization. The harmony and stability in rural areas are the fundamental guarantees of rural sustainable economic growth and farmers’ prosperity, and they rely on effective rural governance. Taking the Fu’an City in Fujian Province of China as an example, this paper analyzes the rural governance problems arising from the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy with the method of dynamic games with incomplete information after data collection by on-the-spot investigation and file inquiry, etc. The results show that the “solicitation” behavior of village B to increase its own income does not maximize the income of village B and village N; Even under the optimal state of income distribution is derived through the game model, the income distribution between the two villages is still unfair to village N, the investor of the “Waterlands Resort”. Therefore, in order to solve the rural governance problems caused by the distribution of benefits between village B and village N, government subsidies, property rights protection, village rules and regulations are required. Besides, the leading role of rural grassroots organizations should be given full play, and villagers’ self-governing system needs to be improved.
Human-Lemur Coexistence in a Multiple-Use Landscape
Authors: Chen-Kraus Chloe , Raharinoro Njaratiana A. , Randrianirinarisoa Miravo A. , Anderson David J. , Lawler Richard R. , Watts David P. , Richard Alison F.
Published: March 2022

Human impacts on the natural world are increasing and are generally considered a threat to wildlife conservation and the persistence of species. However, not all human activities are antithetical to conservation and not all taxa are impacted in the same ways. Understanding how wildlife respond to human activities at the population and individual level will help inform management of landscapes where humans and wildlife can coexist. We examined the effects of anthropogenic activities on a critically endangered primate, Verreaux’s sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi), at a multiple-use reserve in southwest Madagascar. Specifically, we sought to determine which activities the sifakas perceived as disturbances, using the framework of the risk disturbance hypothesis (RDH). The RDH holds that animals will respond to perceived disturbances as they do to predation threats. We therefore predicted that sifakas would be more vigilant, spend more time in high forest strata, reduce their daily feeding time, and occur at lower densities in response to high levels of perceived disturbance. Using data on sifaka behavior and spatial distribution, and the frequencies of anthropogenic activities, we found that sifakas increased vigilance and their height above the ground in response to certain human-related activities, notably those of domestic dogs. Contrary to our predictions, however, we did not find a negative effect of anthropogenic activities on daily activity budgets or population density. The relationship between the occurrence of sifakas and the intensity of tree cutting was actually positive. Our results indicate that sifakas perceive certain anthropogenic activities as threats and respond with immediate behavioral shifts, but that these activities do not have a discernible negative impact on the reserve’s population at this time. These results suggest that lemur conservation can be successful even in areas that are subject to moderate human use.
Socio-Ecological Effects on the Patterns of Non-native Plant Distributions on Hainan Island
Authors: Guo Lin-Yuan , Nizamani Mir Muhammad , Harris A. J. , Lin Qin-Wen , Balfour Kelly , Da Liang-Jun , Qureshi Salman , Wang Hua-Feng
Published: March 2022

Non-native plants spread to recipient areas via natural or human-mediated modes of dispersal, and, if the non-native species are invasive, introduction potentially causes impacts on native plants and local ecosystems as well as economic losses. Therefore, we studied the diversity and distributional patterns of non-native plant species diversity in the tropical island province of Hainan, China and its relationships with environmental and socioeconomic factors by generating a checklist of species and subsequently performing an analysis of phylogenetic diversity. To generate the checklist, we began with the available, relevant literature representing 19 administrative units of Hainan and determined the casual, naturalized, or invasive status of each species by conducting field surveys within 14 administrative units. We found that non-native plants of Hainan comprise 77 casual species, 42 naturalized species, and 63 invasive species. Moreover, we found that non-native plant species had diverse origins from North and South America, Africa, and Asia and that the most common species across administrative areas belong to the plant families Asteraceae and Fabaceae. Moreover, the numbers of non-native species distributed in the areas of Hainan bording the coast arer greater than those within interior areas of the province. Among the coastal areas, Haikou has the highest species richness and, simultaneously, the highest values for significantly, positively correlated predictor variables, population and GDP (R2 = 0.60, P < 0.01; R2 = 0.64, P < 0.01, respectively). In contrast, the landlocked administrative units of Tunchang and Ding’an have the smallest number of non-native species, while their populations are less than a quarter of that of Haikou and their GDP less than one tenth. Among natural environmental variables, we determined that the number of non-native species had the strongest correlation with the minimum temperature in the coldest month, which predicts a smaller number of non-native species. Additionally, non-native species are primarily distributed in urban and rural built-up areas and agricultural areas; areas that are dominated by human activities. Overall, our study provides a working checklist of the non-native plants of Hainan as well as a theoretical framework and reference for the control of invasive plants of the province.
Diluted Seawater and Ammonia-N Tolerance of Two Mangrove Crab Species. New Insights to Understand the Vulnerability of Pristine Islands Ecosystems Organisms
Authors: Mégevand Laura , Theuerkauff Dimitri , L’Épine Claire , Hermet Sophie , Corse Emmanuel , L’Honoré Thibaut , Lignot Jehan-Hervé , Sucré Elliott
Published: March 2022

Mangrove ecosystems are the primary receptors of anthropogenic pollution in tropical areas. Assessing the vulnerability of these ecosystems can be expressed, among other indicators, by studying the health of ‘ecosystem engineers’. In this study, mangrove forests facing opposing anthropogenic pressures were studied (i) in the uninhabited island of Europa (Mozambique Channel), considered as a pristine ecosystem, and, (ii) on the island of Mayotte, facing regular domestic wastewater discharges. Using an ecophysiological approach, the effects of diluted seawater (DSW) and increased ammonia-N were studied for two fiddler crab species: Gelasimus tetragonon (GT) on the island of Europa and Paraleptuca chlorophthalmus (PC) on the island of Mayotte. Osmoregulation curves and osmoregulatory capacity were determined along with O2 consumption rates after a 96 h exposure period. Histological analyses were also carried out on two important metabolic organs: the hepatopancreas and the posterior gills. Results indicate that both crab species are good hyper-hypo-osmoregulators but only PC can maintain its osmoregulatory capacity when exposed to ammonia-N. Oxygen consumption is increased in GT after 96 h of exposure to ammonia-N but this does not occur in PC. Finally, a thickening of the gill osmoregulatory epithelium was observed after 96 h in PC when exposed to ammonium but not in GT. Therefore, the two species do not have the same tolerance to DSW and increased ammonia-N. PC shows physiological acclimation capacities in order to better manage nitrogenous enrichments. GT did not show the same physiological plasticity when exposed to ammonia-N and could be more at risk by this kind of stress. These results along with those from other studies regarding the effects of domestic effluents on mangrove crabs are discussed. Therefore, the greater vulnerability of organisms occupying pristine ecosystems could induce major changes in mangrove functioning if crabs, that are engineer species of the ecosystem, are about to reduce their bioturbation activity or, even, disappear from the mangrove forests.
Case Report: Next-Generation Sequencing Identified a Novel Pair of Compound-Heterozygous Mutations of LPL Gene Causing Lipoprotein Lipase Deficiency
Authors: Li Yakun , Hu Man , Han Lin , Feng Lifang , Yang Luhong , Chen Xiaoqian , Du Tingting , Yao Hui , Chen Xiaohong
Published: March 2022

Lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD) is a rare disease characterized by the accumulation of chylomicronemia with early-onset. Common symptoms are abdominal pain, hepatosplenomegaly, eruptive xanthomas and lipemia retinalis. Serious complications include acute pancreatitis. Gene LPL is one of causative factors of LPLD. Here, we report our experience on an asymptomatic 3.5-month-old Chinese girl with only milky blood. Whole-exome sequencing was performed and identified a pair of compound-heterozygous mutations in LPL gene, c.862G>A (p.A288T) and c.461A>G (p.H154R). Both variants are predicted “deleterious” and classified as “likely pathogenic”. This study expanded the LPL mutation spectrum of disease LPLD, thereby offering exhaustive and valuable experience on early diagnosis and proper medication of LPLD.
FOXO1 Gene Downregulation and Promoter Methylation Exhibits Significant Correlation With Clinical Parameters in Indian Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Khan Mohammad Aasif , Massey Sheersh , Ahmad Irfan , Sadaf  , Akhter Naseem , Habib Maria , Mustafa Saad , Deo S. V. S. , Husain Syed Akhtar
Published: March 2022

Background: Forkhead box “O” one which is member of Forkhead box family of transcription factors is known to play key role in different physiological processes including cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and apoptosis. FOXO1 is defined to play tumor suppressive role in various malignancies including breast cancer and its Dysregulation is frequently reported. However, the evaluation of FOXO1 promoter methylation and its expression at mRNA and protein level in different stages of breast cancer and its association with different clinical parameters is still not studied. Therefore, for better understanding the role of FOXO1 in breast cancer, in our study we examined the FOXO1 mRNA and protein expression in Breast cancer samples of Indian breast cancer patients.

Results: Total 127 breast cancer samples along with adjacent normal tissue (n = 127) were analyzed through methylation specific PCR (MS-PCR), mRNA expression (Real-time PCR) and Immunohistochemistry (IHC). We detected 69.29% cases to be downregulated at the mRNA level, and 77.95% of cases exhibited no or low protein expression. In our data we report a significant association (p = 0.0001) between the downregulated protein expression and promoter hypermethylation of FOXO1 gene. We also found a significant correlation of FOXO1 mRNA level with Age (p = 0.008), age at first live birth (p = 0,003), tumor size (p = 0.05) and lymph node status (p = 0.01).

Conclusion: we in our study report the tumor suppressive role of FOXO1 in case of Indian breast cancer patients and our data suggest it to exhibit prognostic importance. However, further research is needed to evaluate FOXO1 significance in diagnostic and therapeutic targeting in breast cancer cases.