bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A-review of Simulink for single-phase rectifier
Authors: Shneen Salam Waley , Ahmedhamdi Roshen Tariq , Al-Ghezi Moafaq K.S.
Published: March 2022

The current review aimed to: i) Simulate the work of electronic transformer; ii) Analyze and design different types of electronic transformer; and iii) Identify the most important joints of the topic in the work of the electronic transformer by evaluating and improving the system components. The number of electronic keys has been approved in terms of representing the number of phases on one side and the type of wave on the other hand such as one-half phase full wave or wave, as well as single-phase, which will be detailed later. The type of electronic keys has also been adopted in terms of the representation of electronic keys in the form of a diode, a transistor or a thyristor.
Critical thinking skills: Error identifications on students’ with APOS theory
Authors: Umam Khoerul , Susandi Ardi Dwi
Published: March 2022

Identifying students' errors in solving cases of critical thinking skills from two variables of linear equation (TVLE). This was a qualitative study using a descriptive exploratory approach. The participants of the study were first-year students of mathematics education. The method used in this research is a test, interview, and triangulation. The findings showed that the students have low critical thinking skills; therefore, they could not complete the task correctly. Based on the Action-Process-Object-Schema (APOS) theory, students' mistakes in completing math problems consist of four elements, namely: i) The errors in interpreting; ii) The errors in understanding the concept; iii) The error in the procedures; and iv) The error in technical things. The student's response in this study was in the theoretical of APOS, so that they could not reach a correct schema. The study results are expected to be beneficial in developing the activities in teaching TVLE, so that the students will make less errors in completing critical thinking skills problems in mathematics. Therefore, further study in developing a teaching model for mathematics teaching to improve students' critical thinking skills is highly recommended.
Status of professional learning communities in developing countries: Case of Vietnam and Uganda
Authors: Linh Doan Nguyet , Kasule George Wilson
Published: March 2022

What is the status of professional learning communities in Vietnam and Uganda? Is there a significant difference between the teaching experience of secondary teachers and how they see the relevance of professional learning communities on professional development in Vietnam and Uganda? The forementioned questions were explored by collecting data from secondary school teachers (n=345) in Vietnam and Uganda through a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) were used to analyze the data. The findings depict that involvement of secondary school teachers in professional learning communities and the associated contribution on professional development is ‘moderate’ in Vietnam whilst, it is ‘minimal’ in Uganda. It was also established that significant difference exists between the teaching experience of secondary teachers and how they recognize the relevance of professional learning communities on professional development. The findings suggest that relevant educational policies and adequate funding ought to be considered in order to make professional learning communities vibrant in both Vietnam and Uganda. This is deemed key to enhance secondary school teacher competence which in turn could lead to higher students’ learning outcome in Vietnam and Uganda respectively.
Motivation and implementation of Islamic concept in madrasah ibtidaiyah school: Urban and rural
Authors: Amin Alfauzan , Asiyah Asiyah , Syafal Zulkarnain , Alimni Alimni , Nurlaili Nurlaili , Wulandari Ayu , Kurniawan Dwi Agus
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to see how students' motivation and understanding of the concept of Islamic religion in students in rural and urban areas. This research uses mixed-method research. Qualitative data will be supporting data for quantitative data. The sample of this study consisted of 87 students and eight teachers in urban and 99 students and eight teacher rural Islamic elementary school students with random sampling technique. Instrument in the study used a questionnaire for motivation with a Likert scale of 4 and a test for understanding the concept of Islam. In this study, there are two types of data analysis used, namely quantitative analysis using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and category), and inferential statistics (independent sample t-test) using the SPSS 21 application, for qualitative using reducing analysis, analyzing, and interpreting findings from Miles and Huberman. The findings of this study illustrated that motivation was good (M=2.88, SD=0.78) and understanding of student concepts (M=81, SD=0.77) was good too, but in rural areas are better than in urban areas. This finding has implications that the challenges of Islamic religion in urban areas are greater for students. The novelty in this study is the implicit finding of this study that external factors (school social environment, community social environment, family environment) have a major influence on motivation and understanding of Islamic religious concepts.
Engineering students’ judgments on the favorable effect that the class context has on their academic learning
Authors: Morales-Martinez Guadalupe Elizabeth , Hedlefs-Aguilar Maria Isolde , Villarreal-Lozano Ricardo Jesus , Santos-Alcantara Maria Guadalupe
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted human life, including educational settings. In Mexico, teachers and students found it necessary to adopt the online modality at all levels. As a result, both students and teachers face new demands and a re-conceptualization of their everyday academic lives. This study explored the engineering students' perception of the favorable effect level that the class context has on their learning. There were 551 participants took a cognitive algebra study. The experimental task involved reading 12 scenarios that described hypothetical online or face-to-face learning situations; then, each participant judged the degree to which these types of situations favor their learning, using an 11-point scale. The results indicated three cognitive styles when judging the degree to which each class context favors the learning. These styles share a similar cognitive mechanism in terms of information integration; however, the selection process and valuation of the factors differed across the groups. The students' perception on the class context influences their involvement and motivation level for courses on which they are enrolled. The present study's findings suggest that the cognitive algebra approach helps diagnose students' cognitive and emotional approach styles for different class contexts and provides information about the nature of their cognitive processes in terms of how students' judgments and attitudes towards classes are generated.
Indonesian EFL students’ verbal episodes in proficiency pairings
Authors: Susanti Ani , Widiati Utami , Cahyono Bambang Yudi , Tengku Sharif Tengku Intan Suzila
Published: March 2022

The quality of collaborative writing process to some extent depends on the verbal episodes occurring during the collaboration. This study aimed to describe English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ verbal episodes in proficiency pairings. A case study design was used in this study. It involved 40 EFL students of the English department in an Indonesian university. They were divided into two groups based on the types of proficiency pairings: heterogeneous (20 students) and homogenous (20 students). Therefore, this study was also intended to identify which of the two types of proficiency pairings produces more verbal episodes than the other. The verbal processes were audio recorded and then transcribed. The audio transcriptions were analyzed for common themes related to episode categorization. To ensure the reliability of the episode analysis, inter-coder, and intra-coder checks were employed. The results showed that Indonesian EFL students used three major types of verbal episodes: language-related episodes (LREs), text-related episodes (TREs), and scaffolding episodes (SEs). The study also revealed that proficiency levels determined the categories of LREs and SEs most frequently produced by the heterogeneous and homogeneous pairs. Both the heterogeneous and homogeneous pairs were likely to produce almost the same frequencies of categories of TREs more particularly in terms of organization and content. Further research might explore the link between the number of episodes and the learning gains.
The development and validation of the principal innovation leadership scale in Malaysian secondary schools
Authors: M. Fuad Dayang Rafidah Syariff , Musa Khalip , Yusof Hamidah , Hashim Zahari
Published: March 2022

Scholars used multiple variables in measuring innovation leadership due to the differences in concept and understanding of this leadership in different fields. We develop the instrument to fill in the gaps in academicians’ and scholars’ assessments pertaining to the concept of innovation leadership, especially in the sense of education. This paper aims to explain the instrument development and validation process of the face and content validity for the purposed dimensions and items. All the constructs were generated through a rigorous review of the literature. There were six experts involved in validating the face and content validity of this instrument. Content validity index (CVI) and Modified Kappa statistics were used. The cut-off point of all items was 0.8 which retained as a final instrument. Therefore, from the 58 items, four were deleted as it is not reached the level of agreement between all the experts. The final instruments for further validation consisted of 54 items which fell under eight dimensions, namely: i) Creative behavior; ii) Ideal influence; iii) Effective communication; iv) Empowerment and mentoring; v) Technical skills; vi) Entrepreneurship; vii) Opening behavior; and viii) Closing behavior were identified. Therefore, this instrument could be utilized for further validation.
Home quarantined: Privacy at risk in technologically-oriented learning amidst COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Malinao Client William Melchor , Sotto Mark Mata
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 triggers technologically-oriented learning and is critical in ensuring that education continues after schools close physically. The internet has a plethora of learning opportunities but may invite privacy risks to users. Using descriptive-comparative research design, the study determined the contents and artifacts exchanged in online portals, the extent of use of social media sites, teaching-learning platforms, and educational websites. The sample was 341 college students of a family-owned private higher education institution. Finally, the difference in online privacy risk management practices was determined when grouped by selected demographic variables. Using means, t-test, and ANOVA, findings from an online survey showed that personal information is shared the most in online portals. For online learning, students heavily relied on Facebook, Microsoft Teams, and Google. To protect their privacy, respondents from all classes follow online management practices. Generally, the respondents' good affordances and decorum in the online media imply that they have good behavior and value creation. Still, a comprehensive strategy to safeguard data among learners in the utilization of online productivity platforms is a must.
Fear of failure and academic procrastination among university students: The role of achievement expectancy and year of study
Authors: Tan Eunice Wan-Yi , Prihadi Kususanto Ditto
Published: March 2022

This current study aimed to investigate whether expectancy-value model of achievement choice mediates the relationship between fear of failure (FOF) and academic procrastination (AP) among undergraduate students of Psychology Department at a private university in Malaysia. Based on the Krejcie-Morgan Table and G*Power, 102 undergraduate students (aged 18-24) who enrolled in core subjects were recruited to represent the population via snowball sampling method. PROCESS macro for SPSS was utilized to perform the Bootstrap analysis with 5,000 sampling at 95% confidence interval to test the mediation hypothesis. Results showed a significant positive total effect of FOF on AP and significant negative direct effect of expectancy-value model on academic procrastination, supporting the hypothesis for path c and path b. However, no significant direct effect was found between FOF and expectancy-value model (path a). Mediation did not occur, therefore FOF is still considered a robust and significant predictor of AP among the population of psychology students in the aforementioned university. Furthermore, our results suggested that the aforementioned link did not significantly occur among the first-year students.
Integration of Madrasah diniyah learning systems for strengthening religious moderation in Indonesian universities
Authors: Naim Ngainun , Aziz Abdul , Teguh Teguh
Published: March 2022

Madrasah diniyah is a very special Islamic education system in Indonesia that can be implemented from primary, secondary, and even higher education levels. This study aimed to explain the integration of the madrasah system in Islamic Religious Universities in the framework of strengthening religious moderation. The research method used was qualitative with a symbolic interactionalism approach. The main informants in this study were eleven people from the elements of the chancellor, vice-rector 1, head of Madrasah diniyah (Mudhir), teachers/ustadz, and students at State Islamic Institute (IAIN) Tulungagung selected by purposive sampling technique. The research implementation procedure was technically carried out by the stages of data collection, reduction, presentation, and analysis. This study found that the integration of the Madrasah diniyah system into the learning system at IAIN Tulungagung is quite effective in increasing students' religious knowledge. The implementation of Madrasah diniyah needs the support of all stakeholders in higher education. The obstacles faced need to be minimized in terms of infrastructure improvement and participant readiness. The Madrasah diniyah system which is integrated into the learning system in universities is a breakthrough in the world of higher education. With the effective integration of the Madrasah diniyah system into the learning system at Islamic religious universities, the implementation of Madrasah diniyah requires the support of all stakeholders. Therefore, the Madrasah diniyah system integration model is a model that can be developed in other Islamic religious universities.
Enhancing cosmetology students’ communication skills in Malaysian upper secondary vocational education program
Authors: Kiong Tee Tze , Ahmad Puad Farah Najwa , Kamis Arasinah , Heong Yee Mei , Abd Hamid Ruhiana Idayu , Shafie Sharifah , Bedor Sarimah Abu
Published: March 2022

The quality of beauty treatment services will be evaluated by the clients subjectively whether they are satisfied or otherwise with the services provided. However, the reports and complaints related to customer dissatisfaction when receiving beauty treatment services at beauty centers are increasing. Unfortunately, the suggestions for improvement from the previous studies are still insufficient. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the importance of proficiency in communication skills and the need for training modules in the teaching and learning process (T&L). It is required to improve communication skills among cosmetology students for Upper Secondary Vocational Education Program (USVEP) in beauty arts course. The data were collected through the interview method on six USVEP teachers and a beauty salon entrepreneur. The findings of the study found that the proficiency in communication skills among the cosmetology students is an important requirement for employers in selecting their employees, increasing customer loyalty and the customer’s frequency to visit beauty salons, and maintaining the excellent performance of cosmetology students in the workplace. In addition, there is also a high demand for the development of communication skills training modules in helping cosmetology students to constantly updated with new knowledge and skills needed from time to time. Therefore, adequate training is required to improve the competency in communication skills among the cosmetology students.
Concepts movement in Anthropolgy
Authors: Oliveira Roberto Cardoso de
Published: March 2022

Latin-American peripheral anthropology (that which is practiced outside of England, France and the United States) works with a singular epistemic subject. Toe Other which it studies is not distant and transoceanic; it is internai and nearby. From the standpoint of the knowing subject, this entails an ethical engagement with nation building, as n1anifested in the form of indigenismo, a phenomenon which marks the development of Anthropology throughout Latin America. The concepts of interethnic friction and ethnodevelopment indicate the specificity of our dilemmas and reveal the importance which the national context assumes in determining the horizon of our research efforts.
Inventory in a card index form. Infatuation and sympathy: militancy and objectivity in anthroological research
Authors: Pontes Heloísa
Published: March 2022

Reflecting on the delicate position of the knowing subject who is, simultaneously, the subject and object of his or her inquiry, this paper proposes to discuss the pertinency of the debate conceming objecti vity in the social sciences. lt deals with problems which the author encountered as someone who, for a brief period, was involved in a movement which was the object of her study. A possible solution to some of the dilemmas which arise in situations such as this may lie in meticulous reflection by anthropologists and sociologists on the processes of constructing their research objects.
Men, animals and enemies: Cinta Larga's myth and rite simetries
Authors: Dal Poz João
Published: March 2022

This paper discusses the Tupi-Mondé Cinta Larga cosmological axis which is centered on human-animal relationships contrasting it with other Tupian cosmological conceptions which are usualy focused on human-spirit relations. ln this particular society, social ties are thought of through a code based on animal qualities which can be best understood when ritual ceremonies ensuring group cohesion are observed.
Governmental indigenist policy and the Waimiri-Atroari: indigenist management, tin mining, and the construction of regulated "indigenous self-determination"
Authors: Baines Stephen G.
Published: March 2022

ln this paper, S. Baines examines the Waimiri-Atroari case to show that the idea of selfdetermination is being used by Brazilian govemment servants in charge of national Indian policies as a tool for domination. ln this context, researchers are not allowed into the lndians' lands under govemment administration, this being only a small part of a wider strategy. Such "directed (by others) selfdetermination"reveals the submission of Brazil 's indigenous policy to the interests of both private and state-owned companies. This is specially striking when "Calha Norte" Project is concerned. ln this case, "Paranapanema" and "Eletronorte " are the beneficiary companies which benefit from such a policy .
Parahamaticolax ezoisoainame gen. et sp. nov. (Copepoda, Cyclopoida, Bomolochidae) parasitic in the bucco-branchial cavity of Physiculus japonicus Hilgendorf, 1879 (Pisces, Gadiformes, Moridae)
Authors: Izawa Kunihiko
Published: March 2022

Parahamaticolax ezoisoainame gen. et sp. nov. is described based on a single specimen of the female copepodid V, recovered from the bucco-branchial cavity of Physiculus japonicus Hilgendorf, 1879 (Pisces, Gadiformes, Moridae), captured on the upper continental slope, off the Pacific coast of Mie Prefecture, Japan.
Architecture, Sculpture, and Apostolate at the Dominican Church of Negroponte
Authors: Olympios Michalis
Published: March 2022

The present article endeavors to examine a decidedly understudied ensemble of early-fourteenth-century architectural sculpture gracing the interior of the church of the Dominican friary in the town of Negroponte, i.e. modern Chalkis on the island of Euboea. This building, now dedicated to Agia Paraskevi, has preserved a remarkable series of delicately carved corbels in the lateral chapels at its eastern end, together with an extremely elaborate set of sculpted archivolts assembled to form the triumphal arch of the cappella maggiore. After a brief discussion of the sculptures’ probable date and place within the cultural context of Lombard and Venetian Negroponte, the essay turns to the iconography of the diminutive figures emerging from the foliage on the triumphal arch archivolts. Representing not only the order’s venerable saintly patrons but also members of diverse social classes and even outcasts, such as the Jews, these sculptures appear to articulate a message of universal validity concerning the apostolic mission of the Friars Preacher that transcended the cultural landscape of medieval Greece, enriching scholarly discourse on the art of both the Dominicans and the Latin East.
Social Networks as New Public Forums?
Authors: Bassini Marco
Published: March 2022

The article provides a comparative overview on recent case law developments concerning the so-called deplatforming, calling for a more in-depth consideration of the role of social network service providers. By comparing the US and Italian scenarios, it delves into the question on whether these operators should be equalized to public forums or State actors and then subject to stricter regulation with respect to content moderation.
A New Technique for Implementing ECtHR Judgments: Will It Work?
Authors: Mauri Diego
Published: March 2022

In this much-awaited ruling (Order No. 97 of 15 April 2021), the Corte Costituzionale had to decide on the constitutionality of the existing prohibition on release on parole for life prisoners convicted for Mafia-related crimes, in the absence of any cooperation with justice (ergastolo ostativo). This form of life imprisonment without prospect of release had already been deemed in contrast with Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights (echr) in the judgment rendered by the Strasbourg Court in Viola v. Italy (No. 2): on that occasion, the ECtHR invoked a legislative reform of the ergastolo ostativo. In the order at hand, the Corte Costituzionale, instead of formally declaring the unconstitutionality of relevant provisions, resorted to a recently crafted technique to postpone the hearing (until 10 May 2022) so as to give the Houses time to pass new legislation and fix the “systemic problems” outlined by the Strasbourg Court. This contribution aims at offering initial reflections on the use of such technique as an instrument for ensuring the proper implementation of ECtHR judgments in the domestic legal order. For this purpose, after an overview of the ECtHR case law in the field of ergastolo ostativo, it will provide an analysis of relevant proceedings before the Committee of Ministers qua monitoring body of the execution of ECtHR judgments. Finally, a critical appraisal of the reasons militating in favor of and against this technique, from the standpoint of the respect of human rights, will ensue.
“Plus Ça Change, Plus C’est la Même Chose”: State Immunity and International Crimes in Judgment No. 20442/2020 of the Corte di Cassazione
Authors: Berrino Giorgia
Published: March 2022

The Corte di Cassazione, with judgment No. 20442/2020, faced again the issue of German compensations for the victims of international crimes perpetrated by the Third Reich, ruling that immunity of Germany cannot be recognized in claims brought by the victims, or by their heirs, before the Italian courts. At first reading, the decision seems not to have added anything new to the domestic case law in Italy following judgment No. 238/2014 of the Corte Costituzionale. However, an in-depth analysis shows that there are two key points expressed by the Corte di Cassazione: the due effect of judgment No. 238/2014 and the overlap of the arguments used in the Italian judgments after 238/2014 and those prior to ICJ Judgment of 3 February 2012. At any rate, the problem of German compensation is still far from being resolved. The only way to reach the longed-for diplomatic solution would be a judgment similar to 238/2014 on the immunity of States’ properties from measures of constraint.
Opinion of Advocate General Hogan in Randstad Italia: Disarming the Constitutional Bomb
Authors: Scarcello Orlando
Published: March 2022

In this essay I summarize the Randstad Italia case, involving a preliminary reference from the Corte di Cassazione to the Court of Justice of the European Union (“cjeu”). By referring to the cjeu, the Corte di Cassazione attempts to overcome the interpretation of Article 111(8) of the Italian Constitution provided by the Corte Costituzionale. The Corte di Cassazione deems the restrictive interpretation of the notion of “reason of jurisdiction” incompatible with the EU principle of effective judicial protection, as it prevents plaintiffs from being heard by the Corte di Cassazione when their procedural rights have been violated. The Opinion of Advocate General Hogan is then considered, and it is showed how it proposes a solution of the case that avoids a possible constitutional clash with Italy. ag Hogan suggests a minimum standard of effective protection that leaves room for national procedural autonomy, in this case via the restrictive interpretation of Article 111(8) given by the Corte Costituzionale.
Italian Citizenship Attribution to Patrick Zaki
Authors: Minervini Gustavo
Published: March 2022

In July 2021, the Italian Chamber of Deputies passed a motion concerning certain actions to be taken in favor of Mr Zaki, an Egyptian activist and a student at the University of Bologna, who – until December 2021 – was arbitrarily detained in inhuman conditions in Egypt. Notably, the motion urged the Government to take all the necessary measures to naturalize the activist. Against this background, the present comment aims at analyzing the consequences of a possible attribution of citizenship, assessing its feasibility under international law as well as what Italy could do to uphold Mr Zaki’s human rights.
Lithocarpus eiadthongii (Fagaceae), a new stone oak species from southern part of Thailand
Authors: SINBUMROONG AROON , RUEANGRUEA SUKID , TEERAWATANANON ATCHARA , SUNGKAEW SARAWOOD
Published: March 2022

A new species of the genus Lithocarpus, L. eiadthongii, from southern part of Thailand is described and illustrated. Its colour photographs are also provided and its conservation status is assessed. The new species is superficially similar to L. melataiensis, L. pusillus and L. vuquangensis in terms of leaf and fruit size. Notwithstanding, it differs from the three species in several aspects e.g. leaf apex, leaf blade covering, cupule stalk, cupule size, nut size and nut enclosure.
Validation of the name Euphorbia neorugosa (Euphorbiaceae)
Authors: IDREES MUHAMMAD
Published: March 2022

N/A
Taxonomic review of the genus Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823 (Geometridae: Sterrhinae) in Iran
Authors: RAJAEI HOSSEIN , HAUSMANN AXEL , TRUSCH ROBERT
Published: March 2022

So far, the species of the genus Rhodostrophia Hübner, 1823 (Geometridae), their diagnostic characters and their distribution in Iran have not been investigated in detail. Moreover, some species were misunderstood by earlier authors. To solve these problems, a survey of the Iranian Rhodostrophia species based on over 1700 specimens has been executed. The type series of all species known from Iran were examined. Additionally extensive material from different museums and private collections was morphologically studied and compared with the type material. DNA-barcoding was used as an independent line of information and the results were compared with the morphological data. Examination of the type material revealed that R. cuprinaria (Christoph, 1876) was misinterpreted for a long time. The taxon R. nubifera Brandt, 1941 syn. nov. is a younger synonym of Hugo Christoph’s R. cuprinaria, which was misidentified by himself in his later publications. An available name for “R. cuprinaria” in the old, erroneous sense is R. phaenicearia (Hampson, 1907). Three subspecies were recognized for R. terrestraria, including R. terrestraria farsi ssp. nov. Additionally, R. terrestraria furialis Brandt, 1941 syn. nov. is here regarded as junior synonym of R. terrestraria (Lederer, 1869); Rhodostrophia nubifera nubifera Brandt, 1941 syn. nov. and R. nubifera klapperichi Wiltshire, 1966 syn. nov. are here regarded as junior synonyms of R. cuprinaria (Christoph, 1876). R. abscisaria chlorotica Wiltshire, 1967 syn. nov. is downgraded to synonymy of R. abscisaria Brandt, 1941 and R. peripheres debilis Wiltshire, 1949 syn. nov. to synonymy of R. peripheres Prout, 1938. Rhodostrophia vahabzadehi sp. nov. is described as a new species. In total, 15 species are regarded as valid for the fauna of Iran. External and internal morphological characters for all examined species are illustrated. Distribution data are shown on maps for of all species. An updated checklist is presented for the Iranian representatives of the genus Rhodostrophia.
Revision of the Tetragona clavipes (Fabricius, 1804) species-group (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)
Authors: NOGUEIRA DAVID SILVA , DE OLIVEIRA FAVÍZIA FREITAS , DE OLIVEIRA MARCIO LUIZ
Published: March 2022

The Neotropical bee genus Tetragona Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 is characterized among stingless bees by having a yellow pigmented maculation on body, especially on the clypeus, lower region of the paraocular area and mesosome, velvety genal area, a long and slender mesotibial spur and a glabrous propodeal triangle. The T. clavipes species-group is mainly characterized by having workers with elongated setae on T6, with about 2x the length of setae on T5 and hyaline wings. This group is composed of five species, two of which are described here as new: T. clavipes (Fabricius, 1804), T. perangulata (Cockerell, 1917), T. quadrangula (Lepeletier, 1936), T. mourei sp. nov. and T. korotaii sp. nov.). In this study, we synonymize T. dissecta Moure, 2000 and T. elongata Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 under T. clavipes and we provide an identification key for the workers to the species in T. clavipes species-group.
Extreme 2020 Summer SSTs in the Northern South China Sea: Implications for the Beibu Gulf Coral Bleaching
Authors: Chen Yicheng , Zhai Fangguo , Li Peiliang , Gu Yanzhen , Wu Kejian
Published: March 2022

A severe coral bleaching event occurred in the Beibu Gulf during boreal summer 2020. This event was caused by record-breaking warm sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). Anomalous anticyclones (AACs) over the NSCS linked to the Indian Ocean warming and La Niña induced the extreme NSCS warming. In May–July 2020, anomalous anticyclonic-shear easterlies appeared over the tropical western Pacific as a Kelvin wave response to the Indian Ocean warming. These easterlies resulted in an AAC over the NSCS and tropical northwestern Pacific via the Ekman dynamics. Besides, the anomalous easterlies increased moisture fluxes from the Pacific to the Maritime Continent (MC), enhancing the MC convection and thus supporting the NSCS AAC via an anomalous Hadley circulation. In this stage, the increased incident shortwave radiation induced by the NSCS AAC was the major contributor to the NSCS warming. In September 2020, anomalous equatorial Pacific easterlies associated with the La Niña could trigger an NSCS AAC by enhancing the MC convection. The resultant AAC warmed the NSCS SST anomalies mainly by increasing downward latent heat flux and shortwave radiation. Downward heat advection associated with the NSCS AAC also contributed to the extreme NSCS warming.
Wildfire Smoke Observations in the Western United States from the Airborne Wyoming Cloud Lidar during the BB-FLUX Project. Part II: Vertical Structure and Plume Injection Height
Authors: Deng Min , Volkamer Rainer M. , Wang Zhien , Snider Jefferson R. , Kille Natalie , Romero-Alvarez Leidy J.
Published: March 2022

The western U.S. wildfire smoke plumes observed by the upward-pointing Wyoming Cloud Lidar (WCL) during the Biomass Burning Fluxes of Trace Gases and Aerosols (BB-FLUX) project are investigated in a two-part paper. Part II here presents the reconstructed vertical structures of seven plumes from airborne WCL measurements. The vertical structures evident in the fire plume cross sections, supported by in situ measurements, showed that the fire plumes had distinct macrophysical and microphysical properties, which are closely related to the plume transport, fire emission intensity, and thermodynamic structure in the boundary layer. All plumes had an injection layer between 2.8 and 4.0 km above mean sea level, which is generally below the identified boundary layer top height. Plumes that transported upward out of the boundary layer, such as the Rabbit Foot and Pole Creek fires, formed a higher plume at around 5.5 km. The largest and highest Pole Creek fire plume was transported farthest and was sampled by University of Wyoming King Air aircraft at 170 km, or 2.3 h, downwind. It was associated with the warmest, driest, deepest boundary layer and the highest wind speed and turbulence. The Watson Creek fire plume intensified in the afternoon with stronger CO emission and larger smoke plume height than in the morning, indicating a fire diurnal cycle, but some fire plumes did not intensify in the afternoon. There were pockets of relatively large irregular aerosol particles at the tops of plumes from active fires. In less-active fire plumes, the WCL depolarization ratio and passive cavity aerosol spectrometer probe mass mean diameter maximized at a height that was low in the plume.
Implications of Multivariate Non-Gaussian Data Assimilation for Multi-scale Weather Prediction
Authors: Poterjoy Jonathan
Published: March 2022

Weather prediction models currently operate within a probabilistic framework for generating forecasts conditioned on recent measurements of Earth’s atmosphere. This framework can be conceptualized as one that approximates parts of a Bayesian posterior density estimated under assumptions of Gaussian errors. Gaussian error approximations are appropriate for synoptic-scale atmospheric flow, which experiences quasi-linear error evolution over time scales depicted by measurements, but are often hypothesized to be inappropriate for highly nonlinear, sparsely-observed mesoscale processes. The current study adopts an experimental regional modeling system to examine the impact of Gaussian prior error approximations, which are adopted by ensemble Kalman filters (EnKFs) to generate probabilistic predictions. The analysis is aided by results obtained using recently-introduced particle filter (PF) methodology that relies on an implicit non-parametric representation of prior probability densities—but with added computational expense. The investigation focuses on EnKF and PF comparisons over month-long experiments performed using an extensive domain, which features the development and passage of numerous extratropical and tropical cyclones. The experiments reveal spurious small-scale corrections in EnKF members, which come about from inappropriate Gaussian approximations for priors dominated by alignment uncertainty in mesoscale weather systems. Similar behavior is found in PF members, owing to the use of a localization operator, but to a much lesser extent. This result is reproduced and studied using a low-dimensional model, which permits the use of large sample estimates of the Bayesian posterior distribution. Findings from this study motivate the use of data assimilation techniques that provide a more appropriate specification of multivariate non-Gaussian prior densities or a multi-scale treatment of alignment errors during data assimilation.
Special Education Teacher Preparation, Literacy Instructional Alignment, and Reading Achievement for Students With High-incidence Disabilities
Authors: Theobald Roddy J. , Goldhaber Dan D. , Holden Kristian L. , Stein Marcy L.
Published: March 2022

We used survey and administrative data from Washington State to assess the degree to which special education teacher preparation, district literacy instructional practices, and the alignment between preparation and practice were associated with the reading test score gains of students with high-incidence disabilities taught by early-career special education teachers in Grades 4 to 8. These students tended to have larger reading gains when their districts used evidence-based literacy decoding practices (e.g., phonological awareness, phonics, and reading fluency) and when their special education teacher graduated from a teacher education program that also emphasized these practices. Students with high-incidence disabilities in districts that used balanced literacy practices tended to have lower reading gains. Finally, students with high-incidence disabilities taught by early-career special education teachers tended to have larger reading gains when their teacher’s student teaching placement was supervised by a more experienced cooperating teacher.
A Fairy Tale Gone Wrong: Social media, Recursive Hate and the Politicisation of Drag Queen Storytime
Authors: R. Ellis Justin
Published: March 2022

Controversy over Drag Queen Storytime (DQS) childhood literacy events in many Western liberal democracies between 2018 and 2020 occurred within a broader rise in reported ‘hate crime’, notable in the United States and in England and Wales. Outrage from conservative US Christian anti-LGBTQ hate groups and activists, and far-right groups, included online bias-motivated harassment, in-person bias-motivated harassment, and alleged assault and property damage. This article analyses news media and public discourse on hateful conduct against DQS events in the United States and related conduct in the UK and Australia. This hateful conduct draws on legacies of the criminalisation and pathologisation of same-sex attraction, and the framing of non-conforming gender identities as ‘deceptive’. The findings emphasise the recursive nature of bias-motivated hateful conduct based on medico-legal and pseudo-scientific stigmatisation of same-sex attraction and gender fluidity, and the amplificatory capacity of social media networks to engender hateful conduct. The article analyses the broader implications of hateful conduct given the limits of the criminal law in the United States (and other Western liberal democracies such as the UK and Australia) in addressing the translation of online hate speech into bias-motivated in-person hateful conduct. In the United States, these limits are often defined through the unqualified invocation of freedom of speech protections. The article applies ‘digiqueer’ criminology as a frame to consider the harms of bigotry against LGBTQ people amplified through digital media technologies and their intersection, particularly in the US, with Christian righteousness and right-wing ideology through a ‘hate feedback loop’.
Optimizing Pulmonary Outcomes After Total Laryngectomy: Crossover Study on New Heat and Moisture Exchangers
Authors: Longobardi Ylenia , Galli Jacopo , Di Cesare Tiziana , D’Alatri Lucia , Settimi Stefano , Mele Dario , Bussu Francesco , Parrilla Claudio
Published: March 2022

Objective

To evaluate the effects of new devices—heat and moisture exchangers (HMEs) and adhesives—on pulmonary symptoms, subject adherence, quality of life, dermatologic symptoms, and patient satisfaction after laryngectomy.

Study Design

Prospective crossover study.

Setting

Between December 2020 and April 2021, 40 patients were enrolled who had undergone laryngectomy, routinely used HMEs and adhesive, and were followed in our Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

Methods

Patients were allocated into group A (new products) or group B (usual care) for 6 weeks. Then the 2 groups reversed, and each patient acted as his or her own control. Patients kept a diary and cough tally sheet. At baseline and after each 6‐week period, 2 questionnaires were administered: EQ‐5D (European Quality of Life–5 Dimensions) and CASA‐Q (Cough and Sputum Assessment Questionnaire).

Results

Six weeks of using new products resulted in the following effects for both groups: (1) a significant reduction in daily forced expectoration and dry coughs, (2) a significant improvement in all domains of the CASA‐Q, (3) an increase in adherence to HME use, (4) a significant reduction in shortness of breath and skin irritation, and (5) significantly better scores in the anxiety/depression domain of the EQ‐5D.

Conclusion

Achieving this reduction in patients who were already highly adherent to HME use is clinically relevant and underscores the importance of using better‐performing HMEs that can compensate for the humidification deficit. Improving pulmonary symptomatology could reduce patient restrictions in daily life and avoidance of social activity, with a consequent positive effect on quality of life.
Intra-articular Administration of Triamcinolone Acetonide in a Murine Cartilage Defect Model Reduces Inflammation but Inhibits Endogenous Cartilage Repair
Authors: Wesdorp Marinus A. , Capar Serdar , Bastiaansen-Jenniskens Yvonne M. , Kops Nicole , Creemers Laura B. , Verhaar Jan A.N. , Van Osch Gerjo J.V.M. , Wei Wu
Published: March 2022

Background:

Cartilage defects result in joint inflammation. The presence of proinflammatory factors has been described to negatively affect cartilage formation.

Purpose:

To evaluate the effect and timing of administration of triamcinolone acetonide (TAA), an anti-inflammatory drug, on cartilage repair using a mouse model.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A full-thickness cartilage defect was created in the trochlear groove of 10-week-old male DBA/1 mice (N = 80). Mice received an intra-articular injection of TAA or saline on day 1 or 7 after induction of the defect. Mice were euthanized on days 10 and 28 for histological evaluation of cartilage defect repair, synovial inflammation, and synovial membrane thickness.

Results:

Mice injected with TAA had significantly less synovial inflammation at day 10 than saline-injected mice independent of the time of administration. At day 28, the levels of synovitis dropped toward healthy levels; nevertheless, the synovial membrane was thinner in TAA- than in saline-injected mice, reaching statistical significance in animals injected on day 1 (70.1 ± 31.9 µm vs 111.9 ± 30.9 µm, respectively; P = .01) but not in animals injected on day 7 (68.2 ± 21.86 µm vs 90.2 ± 21.29 µm, respectively; P = .26). A thinner synovial membrane was moderately associated with less filling of the defect after 10 and 28 days ( r = 0.42, P = .02; r = 0.47, P = .01, respectively). Whereas 10 days after surgery there was no difference in the area of the defect filled and the cell density in the defect area between saline- and TAA-injected knees, filling of the defect at day 28 was lower in TAA- than in saline-injected knees for both injection time points (day 1 injection, P = .04; day 7 injection, P = .01). Moreover, there was less collagen type 2 staining in the filled defect area in TAA- than in saline-injected knees after 28 days, reaching statistical significance in day 1–injected knees (2.6% vs 18.5%, respectively; P = .01) but not in day 7–injected knees (7.4% vs 15.8%, respectively; P = .27).

Conclusion:

Intra-articular injection of TAA reduced synovial inflammation but negatively affected cartilage repair. This implies that inhibition of inflammation may inhibit cartilage repair or that TAA has a direct negative effect on cartilage formation.

Clinical Relevance:

Our findings show that TAA can inhibit cartilage defect repair. Therefore, we suggest not using TAA to reduce inflammation in a cartilage repair setting.
Condom use consistency among South African HIV serodiscordant couples following an HIV risk-reduction intervention
Authors: Mashaphu Sibongile , Wyatt Gail E , Zhang Muyu , Liu Honghu
Published: March 2022

Background: Although there are several ways to transmit HIV, condomless sex remains the primary mode in sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, with KwaZulu-Natal Province being one of the epicentres of HIV infection. This study explored the use of condoms in serodiscordant couples who were exposed to an HIV-risk reduction intervention that aimed to improve condom use and reduce the spread of HIV.

Methods: A Total of 30 couples completed a paper-based questionnaire on their demographics and general health at baseline and 3 months, plus a semi-structured questionnaire with four domains. An analysis of HIV knowledge, condom use, condom use attitudes and protection perceptions about how other serodiscordant couples behave was conducted following a 12-week HIV risk reduction intervention. Participants were randomised 2:1 into intervention and control groups.

Results: Condom use increased from 55% at baseline to 73.7% ( p = .0047) at 3 months for the intervention group and condom use in the last 7 days increased from 53% to 86% ( p = .0117). For the control group, condom use remained low at the 3 months follow up period ( p = .625). HIV knowledge improved significantly from baseline to 3 months for the intervention group ( p < .0001), as well as the control group ( p = .0005). Negative HIV condom use attitude scores in both groups decreased significantly from baseline to 3 months; intervention group ( p = .0059) and control group ( p = .0007).

Conclusion: HIV knowledge and condom use improved significantly, while negative condom use attitudes and HIV protection perceptions decreased significantly following exposure to a risk-reduction intervention, suggesting that HIV preventive interventions should focus on partnership interventions.
Can mechanism of injury improve trauma diversion? A retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Yeung Wai Hung , Wong John Kit Shing , Tsui Kwok Leung , Lam Tommy Shing Kit , Lui Chun Tat , Lau Chu Leung
Published: March 2022

Objective:

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of adding selected mechanism of injury (MOI) to the existing trauma diversion criteria adopted in Hong Kong.

Method:

This is a cross-sectional study based on the trauma registry of New Territory West Cluster (NTWC) of Hospital Authority from January 2017 to December 2019. All adult patients aged 18 years or above were recruited if their injury occurred in the catchment area of Pok Oi Hospital (POH) or Tin Shui Wai Hospital (TSWH). Performance of the protocol before and after MOI criteria being added in terms of over-diversion and under-diversion rate was determined. Model discrimination was evaluated by plotting the receiver operating characteristic curve, and the area under the curve was compared before and after MOI criteria added. Net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement indices were evaluated.

Result:

A total of 502 patients were included for analysis. Before MOI criteria were added, the over-diversion rate and under-diversion rate were 31.1% and 54.7%, respectively. After MOI criteria were added, the over-diversion rate and under-diversion rate were 33.1% and 34.3%, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve of current primary trauma diversion (PTD) criteria had an area under the curve of 66.9% (95% confidence interval: 63%–71%). After adding MOI criteria, the new receiver operating characteristic curve yielded an area under the curve of 73.7% (95% confidence interval: 70%–78%), which is significantly better (p < 0.001). Net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement indices indicated that including MOI criteria would improve the model prediction.

Conclusion:

Adding mechanism of injury can improve trauma diversion protocol performance.