bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Building with Nature & Beyond: Principles for designing nature based engineering solutions
Authors: Slinger Jill
Published: November 2023

This book is based upon the edX MOOCs Engineering: Building with Nature and Beyond Engineering: Building with Nature.

The Engineering: Building with Nature MOOC, explores the use of natural materials and ecological processes in achieving effective and sustainable hydraulic infrastructure designs, distilling Engineering and Ecological Design Principles. In the Beyond Engineering: Building with Nature course, the missing element of Social Design Principles is developed and taught. Join us in exploring the interface between hydraulic engineering, nature and society!
Building Information - Representation and Management: Principles and foundations for the digital era
Authors: Koutamanis Alexander
Published: November 2023

The book presents a coherent theory of building information, focusing on its representation and management in the digital era. It addresses issues such as the information explosion and the structure of analogue building representations to propose a parsimonious approach to the deployment and utilization of symbolic digital technologies like BIM. It also considers the matching representation of AECO processes in terms of tasks, so as to connect to information processing and support both information management and decision taking.
EFL Learners’ Perceptions of the Impact of Learning Management System on Learner Autonomy in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Bich Dieu , Le Thi Hong Vy
Published: November 2023

In the educational context, the increasing interest in the hybrid learning method combining both traditional face-to-face classroom and online activities (Pishva et al., 2010) has given rise to different e-learning platforms, among which, a Learning Management System (LMS) which is one of the most commonly used tools to supplement conventional lectures. In order to investigate the impact of an LMS on EFL learner autonomy, the current study was conducted at a university in Central Vietnam. Twenty-five students randomly selected from a faculty were invited to participate in focus group interviews to elicit qualitative data regarding their perceptions on the effect of the LMS on their autonomous learning. The findings indicate that the EFL learners in this study seem to be aware of the positive impact of the LMS on their autonomous learning, which can be shown by the fact that they can initiate, monitor and evaluate their learning process. Some implications for instructors were also proposed to enhance the support of the LMS for EFL learners.
FACTORS OF ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF URGENT ONLINE LEARNING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AMONG THIRD- YEAR STUDENTS TAKING AN ENGLISH COURSE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DANANG, VIETNAM
Authors: Lam Nhat Duy Phan  , Ahn Thi Quynh Vo  , Hong Ngoc Nguyen  , Thanh Thi Phuong Hoang
Published: November 2023

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting every field all over the world, especially education. One of the most obvious changes in education is the transition from on-campus learning to online learning. However, this process requires careful preparation for learners' perception. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the perception of acceptance and use of urgent online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic among Third-year students of the Faculty of English, University of Foreign Language Studies, The University of Da Nang (UFLs, UD). With the main survey method by questionnaires, the study found that attitude, motivation, self-efficacy, and use of technology play an important role in cognitive engagement and student learning outcomes. Based on the aforementioned findings, this paper produces some recommendations for educators and students to improve students' perception of online teaching and learning.
STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCE ON LEARNING ENGLISH ESSAY WRITING WITH TEACHER’S APPLICATION OF ONLINE TOOLS
Authors: Luu Quy Khuong
Published: November 2023

Recently, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which has broadly initiated the rise of digital literacy and teaching has inevitably been taking place on online platform. Converted from the conventional teaching mode to the online mode, both teachers and students certainly faced difficulties, especially in the area of EFL. Teaching and learning English essay writing has always been a challenging task for EFL teachers and learners. This paper aims to examine the non-English major third-year students‟ experience on learning an English Essay Writing course with teacher‟s application of online tools at University of Foreign Language Studies-The University of Da Nang (UFLS-UD). 22 Oriental Studies major thirdyear students attending the course Viet luan tieng Anh-01 DPH (English Essay Writing course-01 DPH) in academic year 2021-2022 were surveyed with questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Data analysis shows that students experienced many difficulties in learning English Essay Writing virtually, among which the most difficult one is “Lacking face-to-face communication in solving group tasks….” Their feedback on the efficiency of the online tools applied in the course was also detected. Some suggestions for improving the quality of teaching and learning English Essay Writing with the help of online tools were also proposed.
A PROTOTYPE SYSTEM FOR GENERATING LESSON PLANS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Authors: Tan Choon Keong
Published: November 2023

The Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia directed that every teacher of secondary schools is responsible to prepare lesson plan for each lesson when teaching in a class. The paper reports the use of a prototype system by school teachers to produce digital lesson plans. The system was developed utilising the ADDIE Model. Five teachers from Kian Kok High School, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah was selected to test-run the system. The results of the interview were analysed in a qualitatively way. The findings showed that all the 5 subjects agreed the system was able to function smoothly to create digital lesson plans. Many other functions were tested and also reported to be successful. There were many challenges were reported by the subjects but the researcher was only managed to attend to some of them due to financial constraints of the grant. The research concluded that lesson plans generator that is reliable and effective must be in the online mode in the future so that users can access more teaching resources.
A CASE STUDY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENT TEACHERS’ CREATIVITY POTENTIAL
Authors: Anne Richard Wong
Published: November 2023

Student teachers taking the Teaching of English as Second Language (TESL) program need to be creative in implementing the ESL curriculum in Malaysia. Creative student teachers can motivate school students to learn English Language creatively. In the past, boring language lessons had become a barrier to successful language acquisition. In this regard, the authors examined the creative abilities of thirty-two 1st and 2nd year TESL student teachers taking a Bachelor of Education course in a public university in Sabah, East Malaysia in term of their abilities to generate ideas via providing creative title with a short story. Creative potentials of the subjects were measured by a computer system. Findings revealed that 65.6% of the sample was in the moderate and creative category. Among the reasons identified in this study for producing fewer ideas in such activity were lots of reading (53.1%), the difficulty in predicting the outcome of the story (46.9%) and the lack of experience about the characters in the picture (56.3%). However, those who were found to be very creative were those who scored distinctions in English Language at SPM level („0‟ Level). Data also showed that higher English Language competency can improve creativity. The majority of the TESL student teachers surveyed also enjoyed the ideas generation activity and were thrilled to find out that such activity is able to improve their creative thinking abilities in language teaching, in particularly ESL. The researcher recommends that creative components be made an important element in future T & L activities.
Frequency of Catheter-Related Bacterial Infection in End Stage Renal Disease Patients on Hemodialysis
Authors: Fatima Sonia  , Irfan Ahmad  , Salman Tahir Shafi  , Sana Ashraf
Published: November 2023

Objective: To determine the frequency of catheter related bacterial infections among the patients on hemodialysis due to end stage renal disease.

Study Design: Cross sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Nephrology, Sharif Medical City Hospital, Lahore Pakistan, from 6 Months i.e.,Jun 2021 to Oct 2021.

Methodology: After meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria 171 patients were enrolled. Tips of the catheters were removed by the surgeon and transferred to laboratory in a sterile container, while at least two blood culture samples were taken before removing the catheter. Catheter related bacterial infections were noted.

Results: In this study the most common catheter related bacterial infection in ESRD cases on hemodialysis was blood stream tunnel infection noted in 48.5% patients followed by, infective endocarditis noted in 28.1%, echo vegetation in 26.3% patients, tunnel infection in 25.1% and exit site infection in 23.4% patients.

Conclusion: The most common catheter related bacterial infection in ESRD cases on hemodialysis was blood stream tunnel infection followed by, infective endocarditis, echo vegetation, tunnel infection and exit site infection patients.
Assessment of drinking water quality and development of measures to improve: Vodokanal LLC city of Lgov
Authors:   Kursk State University named after I.I. Ivanov, Akopyan Melania , Kononova Olga
Published: November 2023

During the study, samples were taken to assess the quality of drinking water in LLC Vodokanal, Lgov. Based on the results of the analyses, measures were developed, including the modernization of the water filtration and purification system, replacement of worn pipes, strengthening pollution control, improving technological processes and conducting educational campaigns for the population. Keywords: DRINKING WATER, DRINKING WATER QUALITY, DRINKING WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS, MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF DRINKING WATER
Routine Dental Polishing for Oral Health
Authors: Brett Kendra , Horton Jennifer
Published: November 2023

What Is the Issue?

Professional dental care is important to help maintain oral health. Routine dental cleaning usually includes both scaling and polishing. Scaling is the removal of plaque and tartar from the crown and root surfaces of teeth. Polishing is the removal of residual plaque and external stains from the teeth.

To support decisions about the optimal components for professional dental cleaning, it is important to understand the potential benefits and harms of routine dental polishing when compared to no routine dental polishing.

What Did We Do?

We searched for clinical and cost-effectiveness literature comparing routine dental polishing with no routine dental polishing. We also looked for evidence-based guidelines that provide recommendations about the use of routine dental polishing for the maintenance of oral health in adults and children.

An information specialist conducted a search of peer-reviewed and grey literature sources published between January 1, 2018, and September 28, 2023.

Documents were excluded if we could not isolate the effects of dental polishing from other dental procedures or if polishing techniques were used for a purpose other than the routine polishing of teeth.

What Did We Find?

We did not find any studies directly evaluating the clinical or cost-effectiveness of routine dental polishing versus no routine dental polishing, or guidelines about the use of routine dental polishing, that met the inclusion criteria for this review.

We identified limited literature that examines the combined effects of routine scaling and polishing. Research is needed that distinguishes the effects of routine dental polishing from the effects of other dental procedures.

What Does This Mean?

Without comparative clinical or cost-effectiveness evidence about routine dental polishing versus no routine dental polishing, decision-makers may also wish to consider that patients value routine scaling and polishing, and that the cost of dental care may be a barrier to visiting the dentist for some people.

New polishing methods, such as air powder polishing, may also be useful to consider when making decisions about routine polishing to support dental health. These methods include some of the benefits of scaling and may present opportunities to reduce periodontal inflammation or the length of a dental appointment.
To new heights by flying low: comparison of aircraft vertical NO2 profiles to model simulations and implications for TROPOMI NO2 retrievals
Authors: Riess Tobias Christoph Valentin Werner , Boersma Klaas Folkert , Van Roy Ward , de Laat Jos , Dammers Enrico , van Vliet Jasper
Published: November 2023

Abstract. The sensitivity of satellites to air pollution close to the sea surface is decreased by the scattering of light in the atmosphere and low sea surface albedo. To reliably retrieve tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) columns using the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), it is therefore necessary to have good a priori knowledge of the vertical distribution of NO2. In this study, we use an aircraft of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences equipped with a sniffer sensor system to measure NOx (= NO + NO2), CO2 and SO2. This instrumentation enabled us to evaluate vertical profile shapes from several chemical transport models and to validate TROPOMI tropospheric NO2 columns over the polluted North Sea in the summer of 2021. The aircraft sensor observes multiple clear signatures of ship plumes from seconds after emission to multiple kilometers downwind. Besides that, our results show that the chemical transport model Transport Model 5, Massively Parallel version (TM5-MP), which is used in the retrieval of the operational TROPOMI NO2 data, tends to underestimate surface level pollution – especially under conditions without land outflow – while overestimating NO2 at higher levels over the study region. The higher horizontal resolution in the regional CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) ensemble mean and the LOTOS-EUROS (Long Term Ozone Simulation European Operational Smog) model improves the surface level pollution estimates. However, the models still systematically overestimate NO2 levels at higher altitudes, indicating exaggerated vertical mixing and overall too much NO2 in the models over the North Sea. When replacing the TM5 a priori NO2 profiles with the aircraft-measured NO2 profiles in the air mass factor (AMF) calculation, we find smaller recalculated AMFs. Subsequently, the retrieved NO2 columns increase by 20 %, indicating a significant negative bias in the operational TROPOMI NO2 data product (up to v2.3.1) over the North Sea. This negative bias has important implications for estimating emissions over the sea. While TROPOMI NO2 negative biases caused by the TM5 a priori profiles have also been reported over land, the reduced vertical mixing and smaller surface albedo over sea make this issue especially relevant over sea and coastal regions.
MPeat2D – A fully coupled mechanical-ecohydrological model of peatland development in two dimensions
Authors: Mahdiyasa Adilan Widyawan , Large David John , Icardi Matteo , Muljadi Bagus Putra
Published: November 2023

Abstract. Higher dimensional models of peatland development are required to analyse the influence of spatial heterogeneity and complex feedback mechanisms. However, the current models exclude the mechanical process that leads to uncertainties in simulating the spatial variability of water table position, vegetation composition, and peat physical properties. Here, we propose MPeat2D, a peatland development model in two dimensions, which considers mechanical, ecological, and hydrological processes together with the essential feedback from spatial interactions. MPeat2D employs poroelasticity theory that couples fluid flow and solid deformation to model the influence of peat volume changes on peatland ecology and hydrology. To validate the poroelasticity formulation, the comparisons between numerical and analytical solutions of Mandel’s problems for two-dimensional test cases are conducted. The application of MPeat2D is illustrated by simulating peatland growth over 5000 years above the flat and impermeable substrate with free-draining boundaries at the edges, using constant and variable climate. In both climatic scenarios, MPeat2D produces lateral variability of water table depth, which results in the variation of vegetation composition. Furthermore, the drop of the water table at the margin increases the compaction effect, leading to a higher value of bulk density and a lower value of active porosity and hydraulic conductivity. These spatial variations obtained from MPeat2D are consistent with the field observations, suggesting plausible outputs from the proposed model. By comparing the results of MPeat2D to a one-dimensional model and a two-dimensional model without the mechanical process, the significance of mechanical-ecohydrological feedback on spatial heterogeneity, peatland shape, carbon accumulation, and resilience is highlighted.
Simulating multi-hazard event sets for life cycle consequence analysis
Authors: Iannacone Leandro , Otárola Kenneth , Gentile Roberto , Galasso Carmine
Published: November 2023

Abstract. In the context of natural hazard risk quantification and modeling of hazard interactions, some  literature separates “Level I” (or occurrence) interactions from “Level II” (or consequence) interactions. The Level I interactions occur inherently due to the nature of the hazards, independently of the presence of physical assets. In such cases, one hazard event triggers or modifies the occurrence of another (e.g., heavy rain and flooding; liquefaction and landslides triggered by an earthquake), thus creating a dependency between the features characterizing such hazard events. They differ from Level II interactions, which instead occur through impacts/consequences on physical assets/components and systems (e.g., accumulation of physical damage or social impacts due to earthquake sequences, landslides due to the earthquake-induced collapse of a retaining structure). Multi-hazard Life Cycle Consequence (LCCon) analysis aims to quantify the consequences (e.g., repair costs, downtime, casualty rates) throughout a system’s service life and should account for both Level I and II interactions. The available literature generally considers Level I interactions – the focus of this study – mainly defining relevant taxonomies, often qualitatively, without providing a computational framework to simulate a sequence of hazard events incorporating the identified interrelations among them. This paper addresses this gap, proposing modeling approaches associated with different types of Level I interactions. It describes a simulation-based method for generating multi-hazard event sets (i.e., a sequence of hazard events and associated features throughout the system’s life cycle) based on the theory of competing Poisson processes. The proposed approach incorporates the different types of interactions in a sequential Monte Carlo sampling method. The method outputs multi-hazard event sets that can be integrated into LCCon frameworks to quantify interacting hazard consequences. An application incorporating several hazard interactions is presented to illustrate the potential of the proposed method.
Earth System Model Aerosol–Cloud Diagnostics (ESMAC Diags) package, version 2: assessing aerosols, clouds, and aerosol–cloud interactions via field campaign and long-term observations
Authors: Tang Shuaiqi , Varble Adam C. , Fast Jerome D. , Zhang Kai , Wu Peng , Dong Xiquan , Mei Fan , Pekour Mikhail , Hardin Joseph C. , Ma Po-Lun
Published: November 2023

Abstract. Poor representations of aerosols, clouds, and aerosol–cloud interactions (ACIs) in Earth system models (ESMs) have long been the largest uncertainties in predicting global climate change. Huge efforts have been made to improve the representation of these processes in ESMs, and the key to these efforts is the evaluation of ESM simulations with observations. Most well-established ESM diagnostics packages focus on the climatological features; however, they lack process-level understanding and representations of aerosols, clouds, and ACIs. In this study, we developed the Earth System Model Aerosol–Cloud Diagnostics (ESMAC Diags) package to facilitate the routine evaluation of aerosols, clouds, and ACIs simulated the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) from the US Department of Energy (DOE). This paper documents its version 2 functionality (ESMAC Diags v2), which has substantial updates compared with version 1 (Tang et al., 2022a). The simulated aerosol and cloud properties have been extensively compared with in situ and remote-sensing measurements from aircraft, ship, surface, and satellite platforms in ESMAC Diags v2. It currently includes six field campaigns and two permanent sites covering four geographical regions: the eastern North Atlantic, the central US, the northeastern Pacific, and the Southern Ocean. These regions produce frequent liquid- or mixed-phase clouds, with extensive measurements available from the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement user facility and other agencies. ESMAC Diags v2 generates various types of single-variable and multivariable diagnostics, including percentiles, histograms, joint histograms, and heatmaps, to evaluate the model representation of aerosols, clouds, and ACIs. Select examples highlighting the capabilities of ESMAC Diags are shown using E3SM version 2 (E3SMv2). In general, E3SMv2 can reasonably reproduce many observed aerosol and cloud properties, with biases in some variables such as aerosol particle and cloud droplet sizes and number concentrations. The coupling of aerosol and cloud number concentrations may be too strong in E3SMv2, possibly indicating a bias in processes that control aerosol activation. Furthermore, the liquid water path response to a perturbed cloud droplet number concentration behaves differently in E3SMv2 and observations, which warrants further study to improve the cloud microphysics parameterizations in E3SMv2.
Mapping the extent of giant Antarctic icebergs with deep learning
Authors: Braakmann-Folgmann Anne , Shepherd Andrew , Hogg David , Redmond Ella
Published: November 2023

Abstract. Icebergs release cold, fresh meltwater and terrigenous nutrients as they drift and melt, influencing the local ocean properties, encouraging sea ice formation and biological production. To locate and quantify the fresh water flux from Antarctic icebergs, changes in their area and thickness have to be monitored along their trajectories. While the locations of large icebergs are operationally tracked by manual inspection, delineation of their extent is not. Here, we propose a U-net approach to automatically map the extent of giant icebergs in Sentinel-1 imagery. This greatly improves the efficiency compared to manual delineations, reducing the time for each outline from several minutes to less than 0.01 s. We evaluate the performance of our U-net and two state-of-the-art segmentation algorithms (Otsu and k-means) on 191 images. For icebergs larger than those covered by the training data, we find that U-net tends to miss parts. Otherwise, U-net is more robust in scenes with complex backgrounds – ignoring sea ice, smaller regions of nearby coast or other icebergs – and outperforms the other two techniques by achieving an F1 score of 0.84 and an absolute median deviation in iceberg area of 4.1 %.
Projection of snowfall extremes in the French Alps as a function of elevation and global warming level
Authors: Le Roux Erwan , Evin Guillaume , Samacoïts Raphaëlle , Eckert Nicolas , Blanchet Juliette , Morin Samuel
Published: November 2023

Abstract. Following the projected increase in extreme precipitation, an increase in extreme snowfall may be expected in cold regions, e.g., for high latitudes or at high elevations. By contrast, in low- to medium-elevation areas, the probability of experiencing rainfall instead of snowfall is generally projected to increase due to warming conditions. Yet, in mountainous areas, despite the likely existence of these contrasted trends according to elevation, changes in extreme snowfall with warming remain poorly quantified. This paper assesses projected changes in heavy and extreme snowfall, i.e., in mean annual maxima and 100-year return levels, in the French Alps as a function of elevation and global warming level. We apply a recent methodology, based on the analysis of annual maxima with non-stationary extreme value models, to an ensemble of 20 adjusted general circulation model–regional climate model (GCM–RCM) pairs from the EURO-CORDEX experiment under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) scenario. For each of the 23 massifs of the French Alps, maxima in the hydrological sense (1 August to 31 July) are provided from 1951 to 2100 and every 300 m of elevations between 900 and 3600 m. Results rely on relative or absolute changes computed with respect to current climate conditions (corresponding here to +1 ∘C global warming level) at the massif scale and averaged over all massifs. Overall, daily mean annual maxima of snowfall are projected to decrease below 3000 m and increase above 3600 m, while 100-year return levels are projected to decrease below 2400 m and increase above 3300 m. At elevations in between, values are on average projected to increase until +3 ∘C of global warming and then decrease. At +4 ∘C, average relative changes in mean annual maxima and 100-year return levels, respectively, vary from −26 % and −15 % at 900 m to +3 % and +8 % at 3600 m. Finally, for each global warming level between +1.5 and +4 ∘C, we compute the elevation threshold that separates contrasted trends, i.e., where the average relative change equals zero. This elevation threshold is shown to be lower for higher return periods, and it is projected to rise from 3000 m at +1.5 ∘C to 3350 m at +4 ∘C for mean annual maxima and from 2600 to 3000 m for 100-year return levels. These results have implications for the management of risks related to extreme snowfall.
Brief communication: On the definition of the low-level jet
Authors: Hallgren Christoffer , Aird Jeanie A. , Ivanell Stefan , Körnich Heiner , Barthelmie Rebecca J. , Pryor Sara C. , Sahlée Erik
Published: November 2023

Abstract. Low-level jets (LLJs) are examples of non-logarithmic wind speed profiles affecting wind turbine power production, wake recovery, and structural/aerodynamic loading. However, there is no consensus regarding which definition should be applied for jet identification. In this study we argue that a shear definition is more relevant to wind energy than a falloff definition. The shear definition is demonstrated and validated through the development of a European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) fifth-generation reanalysis (ERA5) LLJ climatology for six sites. Identification of LLJs and their morphology, frequency, and intensity is critically dependent on the (i) vertical window of data from which LLJs are extracted and (ii) the definition employed.
Does rail transit access affect firm dynamics? Analysis of firm births and closures in Maryland, USA
Authors: Saeed Basheer , Iseki Hiroyuki
Published: November 2023

Firm birth and firm closure are two interrelated dynamics relevant to measuring economic growth, yet most studies focus on firm birth only. Public transportation infrastructure may facilitate firm birth, but it may also avert firm closure through improved accessibility that can consequently lead to increased local density hence agglomeration economies. This study analyzes firm births and firm closures using the National Establishment Time Series (NETS) panel data from Maryland from 1991 to 2009. By examining both birth and closure patterns, this study estimates the likelihood of firm retention for areas in proximity to passenger rail stations of multiple levels of maturity, while controlling for a number of potentially confounding factors.
Positive and statistically significant relationships are found between proximity to the passenger rail stations and the rates of firm births in Maryland, regardless of differences in the level of maturity of stations. From 1991 to 2009, areas within close proximity to passenger rail stations in Maryland experienced a wide range of rates of growth in firm density, depending on the year of station opening. The results suggest that well after the introduction of rail stations, areas near passenger rail stations gain belated economic benefits shown by higher likelihood of firm retention around the mature rail stations opened before 1990. In comparison, areas near the less mature stations that opened after 1990 had predominantly lower likelihood of firm retention. Planners and policymakers should be proactive in directing development near rail stations by adopting a variety of measures and policies that support or are at least consistent with transit-oriented development (TOD).
Assessing the impact of host predation with Holling II response on the transmission of Chagas disease
Authors: Jiang Jiahao , Gao Daozhou , Jiang Jiao , Wu Xiaotian
Published: November 2023

Chagas disease is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by a broad range of blood-sucking triatomine species. Recently, it is recognized that the parasite can also be transmitted by host ingestion. In this paper, we propose a Chagas disease model incorporating two transmission routes of biting-defecation and host predation between vectors and hosts with Holling II functional response. The basic reproduction number R_v of triatomine population and basic reproduction numbers R_0 of disease population are derived analytically, and it is shown that they are insufficient to serve as threshold quantities to determine dynamics of the model. Our results have revealed the phenomenon of bistability, with backward and forward bifurcations. Specifically, if R_v>1, the dynamic is rather simple, namely, the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable as R_0<1 and a unique endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable as R_0>1. However, if R_v<1, there exists a backward bifurcation with one unstable and one stable positive vector equilibria, and bistability phenomenon occurs, revealing that different initial conditions may lead to disease extinction or persistence even if the corresponding R_0>1. In conclusion, predation transmission in general reduces the risk of Chagas disease, whilst it makes the complexity of Chagas disease transmission, requiring an integrated strategy for the prevention and control of Chagas disease.
Estrategias pedagógicas artísticas en la Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche: un estudio de caso
Authors: Alonso-Sanz Amparo
Published: November 2023

Son abundantes los estudios internacionales y nacionales sobre la didáctica de la expresión plástica en educación infantil, primaria y secundaria. Pero no tan abundantes las referencias a la enseñanza de artes en la Educación Superior. Esta investigación se desarrolla gracias a la participación de 22 docentes del Departamento de Arte de la [XXX]. Se asiste de las sesiones del Grado de Bellas Artes, Grado de Comunicación Audiovisual y varios posgrados durante 9 meses del curso 2022-23. Con el objetivo de identificar qué estrategias pedagógicas se han consolidado entre el profesorado de enseñanzas artísticas universitarias. Para este estudio de caso se escoge una metodología cualitativa desde la teoría fundamentada. Se obtienen 16 métodos de aprendizaje y sus diferencias para cuatro áreas de conocimiento y para materias teóricas o prácticas. Entre las conclusiones destaca que se hereda de la tradición academicista el predominio de la clase magistral principalmente mediante método expositivo demostrativo, la enseñanza a través de la fragmentación en fases, la recomendación de trucos y recetas y el aprendizaje individual autónomo. Destacan como aportaciones desde la didáctica de las artes visuales: el aprendizaje personalizado a las necesidades educativas del alumnado y la pedagogía del error.
Have your cake and feed it forward too: YouTube, oral cravings and the persistent question of media addiction
Authors: Krüger Steffen
Published: November 2023

Focusing on the case of recommendations on the video streaming platform YouTube, this article revisits questions of media addiction and addictive media that continue to trouble research in the field. Based on a close reading of Google/YouTube’s engineering papers, this paper argues that the platform’s recommender system — the machine learning system responsible for the personalisation and customisation of what videos users are offered — has been designed to function as a feeding tube and a precarious holding environment, thus corroborating widespread critiques about this system’s addictive — oral — strategies of user retention. Subsequently, this article discusses how the platform’s more recent promise of “responsible recommendations” has so far been articulated in the engineering papers. Specifically, this promise has taken the form of a fetishist structure that endorses responsibility but not at the expense of the time users spend watching. This structure is best captured in the proverbial Have your cake and eat it too.
Present and Future of the Conformal Bootstrap
Authors: Chester Shai
Published: November 2023

I will start by reviewing the most notable results of the numerical conformal bootstrap, as applied to conformal field theories (CFTs) in condensed matter, particle physics, and quantum gravity. This includes the most precise determination of critical exponents for the superfluid Helium transition, as well as the first non-perturbative calculation of the low-lying spectrum of a non-abelian gauge theory, which also has a holographic interpretation. I will then present outstanding problems, both general principles and specific physical systems, that the bootstrap would like to tackle in the next few years.
Dissemination analysis of SDGs in sustainability reports to enhance corporate communication strategy
Authors:   School of Communication, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, C/Immaculada 22, Barcelona, 08017, España, Buil Pilar , Sanjurjo-San Martin Elena L. ,   Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Navarra, Campus Universitario, Edificio de Amigos, Pamplona (Navarra), 31009, España, Alfaro-Tanco José A. ,   Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Navarra, Campus Universitario, Edificio de Amigos, Pamplona (Navarra), 31009, España
Published: November 2023

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at the heart of the management of public and private enterprises. Organizations have incorporated the SDGs into their business strategy by developing actions that they disseminate in their reports. In the last decade, academic research has paid special attention to this development, publishing a growing number of studies on the subject with the emergence of a specific line of research in the area of sustainability: sustainability reporting. In this context, this paper aims to show a methodology that serves as a tool to analyze the disclosure of SDGs in the sustainability reports. This methodology has three stages. First, a lexicographic analysis of sustainability reports has been carried out, second, a correspondence analysis, and third, outlining through “guided questions” how the information obtained can be useful to analyze SDG communication strategy. For further illustration the methodology has been applied to a company in the Spanish agri-food sector: Ebro Foods. This work has both academic and professional implications by providing a guideline for SDG dissemination analysis in sustainability reports and, on the other hand, by providing the business world with an analysis tool that serves to improve communication strategies in the field of sustainability.
Economic Freedom of North America 2023 Full Dataset
Authors: Stansel Dean , Torra José , McMahon Fred , Carrion-Tavarez Angel
Published: November 2023

Full dataset of the Economic Freedom of North America 2023 report that measures the extent to which the policies of individual provinces and states are supportive of economic freedom—the ability of individuals to act in the economic sphere free of undue restrictions. It includes an all-government index for comparison of jurisdictions (federal governments) in different countries and a subnational index for comparison of individual jurisdictions (provincial/state and municipal/local governments) within the same country. For the subnational index, Economic Freedom of North America 2023 employs 10 variables for 92 provincial and state governments in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and for the US territory of Puerto Rico in three areas: (1) Government Spending, (2) Taxes, and (3) Regulation. In the case of the all-government index, we incorporate three additional areas at the federal level from Economic Freedom of the World: 2023 Annual Report: (4) Legal Systems and Property Rights, (5) Sound Money, and (6) Freedom to Trade Internationally. In addition, we expand Area 1 to include government investment, Area 2 to include top marginal income and payroll tax rates, and Area 3 to include credit market regulation and business regulations. These additions help capture restrictions on economic freedom that are difficult to measure at the provincial or state and municipal or local level.
Technical Report: Space debris
Authors:   United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), Eberle Caitlyn , Sebesvari Zita ,   United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)
Published: November 2023

At present, there are approximately 8,300 satellites actively orbiting the Earth, gathering and distributing vital data for space science, Earth observation, meteorology, disaster early warning systems, telecommunication, and navigation. Satellites make our lives safer, more convenient and connected, and represent critical infrastructure that is now essential for a functioning society. However, as the number of satellites increases, so does the problem of space debris, posing a threat to both functioning satellites and the future of our orbit. This technical background report for the 2023 edition of the Interconnected Disaster Risks report analyses the root causes, drivers, impacts and potential solutions for the space debris risk tipping point our world is facing through an analysis of academic literature, media articles and expert interviews.
تقييم فاعلية أربعة نباتات طبية وعطرية كمواد تدخين لمكافحة طفيل الفاروا (Varroa destructor) على طوائف نحل العسل Apis mellifera jemenitica
Authors: أحمد الشرعبي جمال عبده , الشرحي محمد محسن , الجلال عصمان ناصر
Published: November 2023

الملخص

حشرة نحل العسل من الحشرات الهامة اقتصاديّاً، سواء في تلقيح المحاصيل الزراعية أو إنتاج العسل والشمع والغذاء الملكي وحبوب اللقاح والبروبوليس وسم النحل. تتعرض هذه الحشرة للعديد من الأمراض والآفات الطفيلية، ويعتبر طفيل الفاروا Varroa destructor من أخطر الآفات ضرراً على نحل العسل في العالم أجمع، ولأن طفيل الفاروا أصبح لديه مقاومة للعلاجات الكيماوية هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى اختبار كفاءة أربعة نباتات هي نبات الحَـدَق Solanum incanum ، وإكليل الجبل Rosmarinus officinalis، والبردقوش Origanum majorana، والعُشار Calotropis procera كمدخنات طبيعية لمكافحة الفاروا. تم إجراء الدراسة في محافظة إب بالجمهورية اليمنية، خلال الفترة من 15 مارس إلى 25 ابريل 2022، على خلايا نحل قياسية نوع (لانجستروث) بها طوائف من النحل اليمني Apis mellifera jemenitica، تحتوي كل خلية من 6-7 إطارات (براويز) مغطاة بالنحل، وتم أخذ قراءة التساقط الطبيعي للفاروا لكل المعاملات بما فيها الشاهد قبل التطبيق بعد 3 أيام من وضع قواعد عد الفاروا، ثم بعد 6 و9 أيام على التوالي دون استخدام أي نوع من التدخين؛ وذلك من أجل حساب متوسط التساقط الطبيعي للفاروا.عوملت كل معاملة حسب المادة النباتية المستخدمة تدخيناً من خلال أبواب الخلايا، وأُخذت القراءات بعد 3 و6 و9 أيام على التوالي، وأظهرت النتائج أن استخدام النباتات السابقة تدخيناً لمكافحة حلم الفاروا Varroa destructor أعطت جميعها نتائج جيدة في تساقط حلم الفاروا؛ حيث بلغ أعلى معدل للتساقط بعد المعالجة بنبات الحدق (T1) S. incanum بمتوسط 144 حلماً/خلية، بينما كانت أقل نسبة تساقط في معاملة نبات (T3) O. majorana بمتوسط 122.33 حلم/ خلية، وأظهرت النتائج أن معدل تساقط حلم الفاروا الميت بعد المعالجة كان كبيراً خلال الـ 3 أيام الأولى للمعاملات باستثناء الشاهد بمتوسط عام بلغ 83.57% حلم/ معاملة، بينما كانت أقل أعداد الحلم المتساقط عند القراءة بعد 6أيام من المعالجة بمتوسط عام 66.57% حلم/معاملة، وأظهرت النتائج انخفاض معدل تساقط حلم الفاروا الميت بعد 9 أيام إلى أقل من النصف تقريباً مقارنة بالثلاثة أيام الأولى بمتوسط عام بلغ 36.50% حلم/ معاملة. وبالنسبة لمتوسط عدد حلم الفاروا داخل أعين الحضنة المغلقة للشغالات قبل وبعد المعالجة أظهرت النتائج أن نسبة إصابة حضنة الشغالات المغلقة بحلم الفاروا كانت مرتفعة قبل المعالجة لكل المعاملات بما فيها الشاهد بلغ 60%، وبعد المعالجة انخفضت بدرجة كبيرة في جميع المعاملات باستثناء (الشاهد)، وكانت أقل نسبة إصابة تم تسجيلها في معاملة نبات الحدق(T1) S. incanum بنسبة 8.33%.
Pengembangan Media Travel Snake-Ladder Game Dalam Pembelajaran Matematika Sekolah Dasar
Authors: Juhaeni Juhaeni , Ariyanti Dwi , Sa’adah Nafilatus , Safaruddin Safaruddin
Published: November 2023

Travel snake-ladder game adalah media pembelajaran berbasis permainan yang terkait dengan permainan kelompok yang beranggotakan hingga empat anak dengan menggunakan papan permainan, pion, dadu, smart card; materi, soal, ice breaking, dan pilihan jawaban. Media ini dibuat untuk memudahkan siswa kelas V SD dalam pengerjaan matematika yang nantinya akan berdampak pada pemahaman siswa. Penelitian ini merupakan jenis penelitian pengembangan (Research and Development), yakni suatu metode penelitian untuk menghasilkan suatu produk tertentu. Dalam penelitian ini peneliti memodifikasi produk yang telah dikembangkan oleh peneliti sebelumnya, yakni travel game dan permainan ular tangga menjadi produk baru, yakni travel snake-ladder game. Subjek pada penelitian ini adalah tiga siswa kelas V SDN Margorejo I yang terletak pada kota Surabaya dan dipilih dengan menggunakan simple random sampling. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan lembar validasi ahli materi, lembar validasi ahli media, wawancara, dan uji coba perorangan. Data dari instrumen dianalisis menggunakan analisis deskriptif kualitatif. Penelitian ini menggunakan model pengembangan 4D (Define, Design, Develop, dan Disseminate). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa media travel snake-ladder game layak digunakan untuk pembelajaran matematika mengenai bilangan pecahan pada kelas V SD. Hasil uji validitas media travel snake-ladder game oleh ahli mata pelajaran dan ahli media pembelajaran mendapatkan penilaian hampir mencapai “sangat baik” dengan skala 4,58. Hasil ujicoba dan wawancara dengan tiga siswa SDN Margorejo 1 juga mendapatkan nilai “sangat baik”. Media pembelajaran travel snake-ladder game memberikan efektivitas pada pembelajaran matematika mengenai bilangan pecahan pada kelas V SD dengan skala sebesar 85%.
Analisa sistem manajemen kontraktor pada kegiatan ijin usaha pertambangan Batubara
Authors: Sujarwo Agus
Published: November 2023

Abstrak

Tujuan manajemen merupakan misi sasaran yang ingin dicapai oleh suatuorganisasi di masa yang akan datang dan manajer bertugas mengarahkan jalannya   organisasi   untuk   mencapai   tujuan   tersebut.   Effektifitas pencapaian tujuan tersebut, selain ditentukan oleh kemampuan manajer,juga ditentukan oleh sifat-sifat dari tujuan itu sendiri.

Kegiatan kontraktor Tambang Batubara menggunakan manajemen  yang dilaksanakan saling berkaitan dan saling mempengaruhi satu sama lainnya. Manajemen Tambang mempengaruhi manajemen peralatan. Misalnya rencana mine squence akan mempengaruhi jumlah peralatan yang digunakan, mempengaruhi productivity peralatan dan mempengaruhi kerusakan peralatan misal  jika dan pembuatan grade jalan lebih dari 8 prosen.

Manajemen peralatan mempengaruhi logistik dalam menyediakan kebutuhan spare part, mempengaruhi manajemen man power berapa jumlah operator yang diperlukan,, manajemen keuangan untuk menyediakan dana untuk pembiyaaan pengadaan peralatan dan operasionalnya, dan mempengaruhi  manajemen kesehatan, keselamatan dan lingkungan.

 

Kata Kunci: Manajemen, Tambang, Batubara, Operasi produksi, Kontraktor  

                    Tambang
Positive Stereotyping Could Be Reasoned to Workplace Intergenerational Retention: A Study of Three Generations in the Health Sector of Pakistan
Authors: Kamran Khan  , Sobia Raja  , Muhammad Tahir
Published: November 2023

Purpose:
The research on intergenerational work environment has attracted researchers in past decades variously and seems valuable in the present time era. The purpose of the present research is to examine the effect of positive stereotyping on intergenerational retention while organizational commitment plays mediating role in this relationship.
Methodology:
The sample consisted of 206 nurses from hospitals operating under the Punjab health department and the convenience sampling technique was used based on the cross-sectional design. The quantitative survey was conducted to assess the role of organizational commitment between positive stereotypes and workplace inter-generational retention.
Findings:
The results of the current study were analyzed on SMART PLS 3.2.2 software to predict reliability, assess the structural model, and hypothesized relationships between variables. Obtained results show that positive stereotyping has a significant direct effect on intergenerational retentions. Further organizational commitment significant positively mediates this relationship.
Conclusion:
Drawing upon generational cohort theory the research highlights the positive role of stereotyping among various generations at the workplace and recommends to the retention of educators is more positive stereotyping among various age group employees
Edwina Eunice Abbott (Cowan): Pioneer Psychologist
Authors: MacLeod Colin M.
Published: November 2023

Edwina Abbott (1887–1949), although little known to the field today, made significant contributions in several domains of psychology—experimental, developmental, and clinical—in the first half of the 20th century. In particular, she was the first to empirically study the “testing effect”—that learning and memory benefit from testing, not just from additional study—before going on to establish and direct an early laboratory for developmental and clinical research and treatment in Wichita, Kansas. Her forward-looking research and her devotion to applications of laboratory findings justify the designation “pioneer of psychology.”
Learning-Oriented Assessment (LOA) Implementation in EFL Tertiary Contexts: Towards a More Task-based Learning (TBL) Environment
Authors: Kamli Hadeel M. Al , Almalki Mansoor S.
Published: November 2023

Over the past decade, learning-oriented assessment (LOA) has gained increasing attention as an emerging approach to classroom-based assessment. LOA prioritises learning and focuses on engaging learners actively in assessment and feedback activities. To enhance the learning environment in higher education, it is crucial for teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) to be aware of and implement innovative assessment methods that support student learning, such as LOA. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the knowledge, use, and challenges of LOA in tertiary contexts. A total of (93) male and female EFL teachers teaching in tertiary education participated in the study. An adaptation of The Teachers' Learning-Oriented Assessment Questionnaire survey (Alsowat, 2022) and items from semi-structured interviews (Fazel & Ali, 2022) were used to collect the data for this study. The findings of this study show that EFL teachers had good knowledge of LOA concepts but suggest that they need further focused training on the implementation of LOA. The study also shows that the teachers faced pedagogical, practical, attitudinal, and institutional challenges that prevented the better implementation of LOA practices.