bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of a multi-dimensional diagnosis-based comorbidity index that improves prediction of death in men with prostate cancer: Nationwide, population-based register study
Authors: Westerberg Marcus , Irenaeus Sandra , Garmo Hans , Stattin Pär , Gedeborg Rolf
Published: January 2024

Assessment of comorbidity is crucial for confounding adjustment and prediction of mortality in register-based studies, but the commonly used Charlson comorbidity index is not sufficiently predictive. We aimed to develop a multidimensional diagnosis-based comorbidity index (MDCI) that captures comorbidity better than the Charlson Comorbidity index. The index was developed based on 286,688 men free of prostate cancer randomly selected from the Swedish general population, and validated in 54,539 men without and 68,357 men with prostate cancer. All ICD-10 codes from inpatient and outpatient discharges during 10 years prior to the index date were used to define variables indicating frequency of code occurrence, recency, and total duration of related hospital admissions. Penalized Cox regression was used to predict 10-year all-cause mortality. The MDCI predicted risk of death better than the Charlson comorbidity index, with a c-index of 0.756 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.751, 0.762) vs 0.688 (95% CI = 0.683, 0.693) in the validation cohort of men without prostate cancer. Men in the lowest vs highest MDCI quartile had distinctively different survival in the validation cohort of men with prostate cancer, with an overall hazard ratio [HR] of 5.08 (95% CI = 4.90, 5.26). This was also consistent within strata of age and Charlson comorbidity index, e.g. HR = 5.90 (95% CI = 4.65, 7.50) in men younger than 60 years with CCI 0. These results indicate that comorbidity assessment in register-based studies can be improved by use of all ICD-10 codes and taking related frequency, recency, and duration of hospital admissions into account.
Exploring perceptions of gender roles amongst sexually active adolescents in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Marshall Brett , Mehou-Loko Celia , Mazibuko Sindisiwe , Madladla Makhosazana , Knight Lucia , Humphries Hilton
Published: January 2024

Traditional gender and social norms reinforce asymmetrical power relations, increase the risk of experiencing gender-based violence and mediate poor engagement with sexual and reproductive health services. This study explored gender norms and expectations amongst cisgender adolescents in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A purposive sample of 29 adolescents aged 16–19 years old were enrolled as part of a longitudinal qualitative study. The current analysis reports on the first round of in-depth interviews, which focused on the role of men and women in their community. A theoretically informed thematic analysis identified three broad themes: 1) Adolescent interpretation and understanding of gender identity, 2) Gendered essentialism and Gender roles (two sub-themes: Young men: Power through providing, and Young women: The domestication process which highlighted that gender roles were defined by being the provider for men, and the successful fulfilment of traditional domestic behaviours amongst women), 3) Gender and fertility highlighted how participants highly valued fertility as affirming of manhood/womanhood. These norms reinforce gender roles that maintain asymmetrical power relations, carrying them over into adulthood. The subtle social pressure to prove fertility could have unintended consequences for driving teenage pregnancy. Structural, gender-based interventions emphasising positive gender-role development in early childhood are needed.
Make or break: Succeeding in transition from incarceration
Authors: Shahaed Heba , Thirugnanasampanthar Sai Surabi , Guenter Dale
Published: January 2024

Several factors impact successful reintegration after incarceration. We sought to better understand these factors such as pre-release preparedness or access to financial resources in provincial correctional facilities in Ontario, Canada with an underlying focus on the role of personal identification (PID) among people at risk of homelessness. We conducted a qualitative study with one-on-one telephone interviews. Eligibility criteria included having been released from a provincial correctional facility in the preceding 2 years, being over the age of 18, speaking English and having telephone access. Participants were recruited between February 2021 and July 2021. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Data was analyzed using a thematic analysis framework along with strategies from grounded theory research. We interviewed 12 individuals and identified six key themes including 1) Degree of Preparedness Pre-Release 2) Managing Priorities Post-Release 3) Impact of Support Post-Release 4) Obstacles with Accessing Services 5) Influence of Personal Identification 6) Emotions and Uncertainty. We found that people with mental health and addiction challenges are uniquely at risk post-release. Solutions must include comprehensive and proactive case management that bridges the pre-release and post-release periods, simplified processes for obtaining PID, better connections to health and social services, and improved pre-release planning for community support.
A non-lethal stable isotope analysis of valued freshwater predatory fish using blood and fin tissues as alternatives to muscle tissue
Authors: Vejřík Lukáš , Vejříková Ivana , Sajdlová Zuzana , Kočvara Luboš , Kolařík Tomáš , Bartoň Daniel , Jůza Tomáš , Blabolil Petr , Peterka Jiří , Čech Martin , Vašek Mojmír
Published: January 2024

Stable isotope analysis (SIA) is widely used to study trophic ecology and food webs in aquatic ecosystems. In the case of fish, muscle tissue is generally preferred for SIA, and the method is lethal in most cases. We tested whether blood and fin clips can be used as non-lethal alternatives to muscle tissue for examining the isotopic composition of two freshwater predatory fish, European catfish (Silurus glanis) and Northern pike (Esox lucius), species of high value for many freshwater systems as well as invasive species in many others. Blood samples from the caudal vein, anal fin clips, and dorsal muscle obtained by biopsy punch were collected from four catfish and pike populations (14–18 individuals per population). Subsequently, these samples were analyzed for δ13C and δ15N. The effects of alternative tissues, study site, and fish body mass on the isotopic offset were investigated. Both species showed a correlation between the isotopic offset and the tissue type, as well as the study site, but no significant relationship with the body mass. The isotopic offsets between tissues were used to calculate the conversion equations. The results demonstrated that both blood and fin clips are suitable and less invasive alternative to muscle in SIA studies focused on European catfish and Northern pike. Blood provided better correspondence to muscle isotope values. However, our results clearly demonstrated that isotopic offsets between tissues vary significantly among populations of the same species. Therefore, obtaining a muscle biopsy from several individuals in any population is advisable to gain initial insights and establish a possible population-specific inter-tissue conversion.
Crop growth dynamics: Fast automatic analysis of LiDAR images in field-plot experiments by specialized software ALFA
Authors: Fryčák Tadeáš , Fürst Tomáš , Koprna Radoslav , Špíšek Zdeněk , Miřijovský Jakub , Humplík Jan F.
Published: January 2024

Repeated measurements of crop height to observe plant growth dynamics in real field conditions represent a challenging task. Although there are ways to collect data using sensors on UAV systems, proper data processing and analysis are the key to reliable results. As there is need for specialized software solutions for agricultural research and breeding purposes, we present here a fast algorithm ALFA for the processing of UAV LiDAR derived point-clouds to extract the information on crop height at many individual cereal field-plots at multiple time points. Seven scanning flights were performed over 3 blocks of experimental barley field plots between April and June 2021. Resulting point-clouds were processed by the new algorithm ALFA. The software converts point-cloud data into a digital image and extracts the traits of interest–the median crop height at individual field plots. The entire analysis of 144 field plots of dimension 80 x 33 meters measured at 7 time points (approx. 100 million LiDAR points) takes about 3 minutes at a standard PC. The Root Mean Square Deviation of the software-computed crop height from the manual measurement is 5.7 cm. Logistic growth model is fitted to the measured data by means of nonlinear regression. Three different ways of crop-height data visualization are provided by the software to enable further analysis of the variability in growth parameters. We show that the presented software solution is a fast and reliable tool for automatic extraction of plant height from LiDAR images of individual field-plots. We offer this tool freely to the scientific community for non-commercial use.
Late-rising CD4 T cells resolve mouse cytomegalovirus persistent replication in the salivary gland
Authors: Brunel Simon , Picarda Gaelle , Gupta Ankan , Ghosh Raima , McDonald Bryan , El Morabiti Rachid , Jiang Wenjin , Greenbaum Jason A. , Adler Barbara , Seumois Gregory , Croft Michael , Vijayanand Pandurangan , Benedict Chris A.
Published: January 2024

Conventional antiviral memory CD4 T cells typically arise during the first two weeks of acute infection. Unlike most viruses, cytomegalovirus (CMV) exhibits an extended persistent replication phase followed by lifelong latency accompanied with some gene expression. We show that during mouse CMV (MCMV) infection, CD4 T cells recognizing an epitope derived from the viral M09 protein only develop after conventional memory T cells have already peaked and contracted. Ablating these CD4 T cells by mutating the M09 genomic epitope in the MCMV Smith strain, or inducing them by introducing the epitope into the K181 strain, resulted in delayed or enhanced control of viral persistence, respectively. These cells were shown to be unique compared to their conventional memory counterparts; producing higher IFNγ and IL-2 and lower IL-10 levels. RNAseq analyses revealed them to express distinct subsets of effector genes as compared to classical CD4 T cells. Additionally, when M09 cells were induced by epitope vaccination they significantly enhanced protection when compared to conventional CD4 T cells alone. These data show that late-rising CD4 T cells are a unique memory subset with excellent protective capacities that display a development program strongly differing from the majority of memory T cells.
Thailand (ประเทศไทย)
Authors: Ng Jason
Published: January 2024

Thailand’s hip hop culture has developed at a very different pace to other prominent early adopters in the Asia-Pacific. Given its late adoption of hip hop in the 1990s through popular music labels (Kita Music, GMM Grammy, Bakery Music, RS Promotion), local DJs, MCs, aerosol artists and breakers negotiated hip hop in a relatively short period – pressurized under local market conditions and influenced by multidirectional flows of hip hop that extended across the region and beyond. Hip hop in Thailand now draws on local traditional cultural influences while also being inspired by an immense flow of expat workers, tourists and transient visitors annually. It is not surprising that immanently polycultural music cultures like hip hop manifest in a number of ways in the Thai context, stratified by degrees of appreciation of international aesthetics and reverence for local Thai cultural history and customs. While hip hop exists across the country, with prominent communities in Chiang Mai, Chon Buri and Udon Thani, it is most notably diverse and concentrated in Bangkok – the place it began and where many pioneers have created their legacy.
Ghana
Authors: Clark Msia Kibona
Published: January 2024

Among African countries where hip hop has a strong presence, Ghana is an interesting case study in the relationship between hip hop and afrobeats. Ghana has benefitted from the popularity of afrobeats, with several Ghanaian artists releasing collaborations with international artists. Many Ghanaian hip hop artists have also been helped by the relationship between Ghana and the African diaspora and leveraged that relationship into a successful rap career. An examination of hip hop in Ghana requires a consideration of genre classification in a music scene where hip hop and afrobeats often intersect. It also requires a consideration of the historical relationship between Ghana and the African diaspora, which has been strengthened in the wake of the 2019 Year of Return. Ghana’s relationship to the African diaspora has influenced the development of music genres in the country. The arrival of hip hop in Ghana especially influenced the development of hiplife and then afrobeats. Ghanaian hip hop maintains its own identity, while at the same time sharing an identity with hiplife and afrobeats. Ghana is not the only country where hip hop and pop music share a close relationship, but one cannot study Ghanaian hip hop without also studying Ghanaian hiplife or afrobeats. Because of the close relationship between hip hop, hiplife and afrobeats, this contribution includes a discussion of the latter two, along with a discussion of the roles that genres play, both from a music standpoint and from a marketing standpoint.
Japan (日本)
Authors: Condry Ian
Published: January 2024

Many people assume that Japanese language and culture make the country an unlikely place for a robust hip hop scene, but in fact, Japanese emcees, DJs, breakers and visual artists have a long and varied history of contributing to global hip hop. From small nightclubs to giant arenas, Japan’s hip hop artists run the gamut of underground to pop, with a wide range of approaches and styles.
For the Culture: Hip-Hop and the Fight for Social Justice, Lakeyta M. Bonnette-Bailey and Adolphus G. Belk Jr (eds) (2022)
Authors: Lee Mikal Amin
Published: January 2024

Review of: For the Culture: Hip-Hop and the Fight for Social Justice, Lakeyta M. Bonnette-Bailey and Adolphus G. Belk Jr (eds) (2022)

Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 321 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-47213-286-7, h/bk, USD 80.00
Trinity International Hip Hop Festival and the evolution of hip hop culture
Authors: Recitas Boo ‘DJ Boo’
Published: January 2024

Like any culture, hip hop evolved as it spread across the globe and passed on to future generations. As someone who was raised throughout the 1980s and 1990s, DJ Boo has witnessed its evolution. As a participant in the culture he has had the opportunity to travel abroad to work with and perform alongside artists who have adopted hip hop as their own and found a voice in its culture. These opportunities have also allowed him to document some of that work as seen in the photograph of Amirah Sackett during her performance at the 2019 Trinity International Hip Hop Festival.
Lyrical (re)citation: Remembering, recycling and revoicing bars from the rap canon
Authors: Nzinga Kalonji
Published: January 2024

Rap music has been the soundtrack to global rebellions against the hegemonic status quo. For this reason, it has often been construed as the antithesis of tradition, breaking old systems to make space for the novel and the original. Along these lines, the hip hop community has deeply valued originality as an essential feature of the emcee’s authorial voice. Copying the rhymes and styles of fellow rappers has often been condemned as ‘biting’. While these practices of ingenuity are plenty within the rap scene, it is integral that hip hop studies also account for practices that directly contradict this ethos of ingenuity: practices of re-citation, re-cycling, re-membering and re-voicing. This study examines the lyrics and the testimonies of rappers for evidence of these practices. The record shows that many emcees are constantly engaged in memorizing the language forms of other rappers and faithfully replicating those forms in their own artistic creations. These practices of re-cycling are contextualized within social theories of voice that posit authorial voice as fundamentally co-constructed by an author’s social scene. The study seeks to complicate the caricature of the self-made–self-taught rapper, which has often led to stereotypical depictions of rappers as unstudied, off-the-cuff and extemporary.
Argentina
Authors: Biaggini Martin Alejandro , Ruggiero Jose Maximiliano
Published: January 2024

The objective of this contribution, written by a researcher and rapper of extensive experience in Argentina, is to reflect on the origins and development of hip hop in Argentina since its emergence in the 1980s. The lack of archival material and the scarcity of documentary sources which might have served as valuable input for this contribution, prompted the authors to use a variety of sources. The authors used oral history and private archives as the primary methods of data collection. This article recovers testimonies from Argentina’s first emcees, DJs and local party organizers, thanks to whom the authors were able to identify three sources of origin.
Cey Adams, Departure: 40 Years of Art and Design, Curated by Liza Quiñonez and Yutong Shi
Authors: Gayle Caleb J.
Published: January 2024

Review of: Cey Adams, Departure: 40 Years of Art and Design, Curated by Liza Quiñonez and Yutong Shi

Stone Gallery, Boston University, 4 October–11 December 2022
Ireland (Éire)
Authors: Rollefson J. Griffith , Grainger Stephen (‘DJ Stevie G’)
Published: January 2024

An overview of hip hop’s historical emergence and contemporary performance cultures in Ireland with a focus on hip hop music and politics.
State of the nation: Class, Labour politics and the contemporary relevance of Our Friends in the North (1996)
Authors: Collins Jeremy
Published: January 2024

In January 1996 the BBC began broadcasting Our Friends in the North, a ‘state of the nation’ drama (Eaton 2005), over nine episodes. The series followed four working-class friends from Tyneside, and explored how their lives unfolded during the social and political upheavals of the 1960s through to the 1990s. The ‘monumental’ series was described at the time as ‘one of the major television programmes of this or any other year’. A recent (September 2022) rescreening of the series has re-emphasized the relevance of the themes it explores, and a one-off radio play updated the story to follow the children of the original characters in the 2020s. The series has been situated in the canons of British social realism and quality drama, and explores issues of class and social power, in particular depicting struggles around poor housing, police corruption, political scandals, and how these intersect with the lives of ordinary people. The main characters are shown variously rejecting, accommodating to or being crushed by, the political changes of the period, from Wilsonian Labourism, via Thatcherite neo-liberalism to the emergence of ‘new labour’. This article juxtaposes examples of the series’ themes with contemporary news items (around housing, political corruption, an out-of-control Metropolitan police service and a timid, subservient, managerial Labour Party). It argues that these recent, unresolved developments in the United Kingdom suggest the continued salience of Our Friends in the North as an important commentary on social and political issues.
Capitalism and the Camera: Essays on Photography and Extraction, Kevin Coleman and Daniel James (eds) (2021)
Authors: Constantine Simon
Published: January 2024

Review of: Capitalism and the Camera: Essays on Photography and Extraction, Kevin Coleman and Daniel James (eds) (2021)

London and New York: Verso, 320 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-83976-080-8, p/bk, GBP 19.99
El derecho a la desconexión digital y su incidencia en la prevención de riesgos laborales
Authors: Cabello Roldán Aída
Published: January 2024

El uso de nuevas modalidades de trabajo cada vez más flexibles tiene una importante trascendencia para la salud de las personas trabajadoras, por lo que es relevante hacer especial hincapié en la prevención de riesgos laborales para garantizar la protección a las mismas sobre el uso excesivo de los medios tecnológicos que se utilizan en el desempeño de las funciones laborales. En ese sentido, se han introducido novedades recientes (tanto a nivel estatal como comunitario e internacional) relativas, en concreto, a la prevención de riesgos psicosociales y, sobre todo, a los derivados de la extensión descontrolada de la modalidad del teletrabajo, por lo que se intenta reforzar aún más el derecho a la desconexión digital, preocupación prioritaria para la mayoría de Estados miembros que componen la Unión Europea. Sin embargo, parece que este asunto no ha sido aún materializado, por lo que estos han tenido que implantar diferentes medidas para contrarrestar la inexistencia de una normativa comunitaria. Pues bien, el presente trabajo pretende otorgar una visión generalizada tanto de la normativa existente en la actualidad sobre esta materia, como las medidas que se están implementando por parte de los Estados miembros para combatir todas las consecuencias negativas que este asunto está produciendo. Asimismo, esta investigación pretende otorgar una serie de propuestas acerca de los aspectos que consideramos aún están pendientes de regulación, así como otras consideraciones en esta materia que podrían garantizar la prevención de riesgos laborales en un contexto digital, por parte de los principales sujetos involucrados, que son, personas trabajadoras y empresarias.
Las cláusulas convencionales en materia de planes de pensiones
Authors: González Cobaleda Estefanía
Published: January 2024

La negociación colectiva respecto a la protección social complementaria de corte profesional ha tenido un papel relevante históricamente, si bien, no se han obtenido los resultados deseados y, consecuentemente, el alcance de estos instrumentos a la población trabajadora ha sido muy limitado. De ahí que, con las últimas reformas sobre los planes de pensiones, se pretenda dotar de un auténtico segundo pilar como verdaderos mecanismos que sirvan para complementar las pensiones públicas, nunca para sustituirlas. Para ello, se ha aumentado la capacidad decisoria de los convenios colectivos sectoriales, pues han sido llamados a jugar un papel central con el fin de aumentar su universalidad entre la población laboral. Desde esta perspectiva, el presente estudio efectúa un diagnóstico de la experiencia negocial del sistema precedente que ha llevado a legislar nuevas medidas correctivas, continuando con el análisis crítico desde el punto de vista de los nuevos contenidos que ya se recogen en las cláusulas convencionales acerca de esta materia. A este respecto, resulta de interés el análisis de la primera experiencia sectorial, por ahora, del VII Convenio General del Sector de la Construcción de España que ha conformado un hito en nuestro país. De manera que este artículo se enmarca a partir de trabajos de investigación previos ya publicados acerca de dicha novedosa legislación, avanzado ahora en el estudio más práctico acerca de las cláusulas de la autonomía colectiva. De ahí que se adoptará una nueva perspectiva destinada a esclarecer ciertos aspectos clave sobre la realidad práctica del contenido negocial.
Esophageal Remodeling Correlates With Eating Behaviors in Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Authors: Kennedy Kanak V. , Umeweni Chizoba N. , Alston Maiya , Dolinsky Lauren , McCormack Susan M. , Taylor Lynne Allen , Bendavid Ava , Benitez Alain , Mitchel Elana , Karakasheva Tatiana , Goh Vi , Maqbool Asim , Albenberg Lindsey , Brown-Whitehorn Terri , Cianferoni Antonella , Muir Amanda B.
Published: January 2024

INTRODUCTION:

There are limited data characterizing eating habits among pediatric patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We compared eating behaviors in pediatric patients with EoE with healthy controls and assessed the degree of correlation with symptomatology, endoscopic and histologic findings, and esophageal distensibility.

METHODS:

We conducted a prospective, observational study where subjects consumed 4 food textures (puree, soft solid, chewable, and hard solid) and were scored for eating behaviors including number of chews per bite, sips of fluid per food, and consumption time. Symptomatic, endoscopic, histologic, and esophageal distensibility data were collected for case subjects.

RESULTS:

Twenty-seven case subjects and 25 healthy controls were enrolled in our study (mean age 11.0 years, 63.5% male). Compared with healthy controls, pediatric patients with EoE demonstrated more chews per bite with soft solid (13.6 vs 9.1, P = 0.031), chewable (14.7 vs 10.7, P = 0.047), and hard solid foods (19.0 vs 12.8, P = 0.037). Patients with EoE also demonstrated increased consumption time with soft solid (94.7 vs 58.3 seconds, P = 0.002), chewable (90.0 vs 65.1 seconds, P = 0.005), and hard solid foods (114.1 vs 76.4 seconds, P = 0.034) when compared with healthy controls. Subgroup analysis based on disease status showed no statistically significant differences in eating behaviors between active and inactive EoE. Total endoscopic reference score positively correlated with consumption time (r = 0.53, P = 0.008) and number of chews (r = 0.45, P = 0.027) for chewable foods and with number of chews (r = 0.44, P = 0.043) for hard solid foods. Increased consumption time correlated with increased eosinophil count (r = 0.42, P = 0.050) and decreased esophageal distensibility (r = −0.82, P < 0.0001).

DISCUSSION:

Altered eating behaviors including increased chewing and increased consumption time can be seen in pediatric patients with EoE, can persist despite histologic remission, and may be driven by changes in esophageal distensibility.
The Rising Incidence and Poor Outcomes of Enteropathy-Associated T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Hujoel Isabel A. , Hujoel Margaux L.A.
Published: January 2024

INTRODUCTION:

Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL) is associated with celiac disease. With the rising prevalence of celiac disease, we hypothesized that the prevalence of EATL is also increasing.

METHODS:

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, which is a population-based US cancer surveillance program. We used the ICD-0-3 code 9717/3 to identify patients with EATL diagnosed between 2000 and 2020. Incidence rates were calculated using the SEER*Stat software, and annual percent change was calculated using the Joinpoint software. Log-rank tests were used to evaluate for significant difference in survival curves between groups. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used for continuous variables and quantifying association strength of predictors.

RESULTS:

A total of 463 cases of EATL were identified (273 male, 190 female) with a median age of 65 (range 23–90+) years. Most of the cases were at an advanced stage at diagnosis and were treated with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. The median survival time was 6 months. The 2000–2020 age-adjusted incidence rate per 100,000 people was 0.014, and the incidence increased between 2000 and 2020, with an annual percent change of 2.58 (P < 0.05). Increased age at diagnosis and lack of treatment had significant impacts on survival while sex, year of diagnosis, race, and time between diagnosis and treatment had no significant impact on survival.

DISCUSSION:

There was a significant increase in the incidence of EATL in the United States between 2000 and 2020. Survival in this cancer remains poor and unchanged over the past 2 decades.
Diversity of Anammox Bacteria from Landfill Treatment Plant Sludge in Tropical Area
Authors: Zulkarnaini Zulkarnaini , Atsil Nadiah , Aribah Hillary Citra , Komala Puti Sri , Shinta Silvia Shinta Silvia , Matsuura Norihisa
Published: January 2024

The anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process is known as the warm process. Tropical areas have an advantage due to their consistent temperature throughout the year. This study analyzed the diversity of anammox bacteria in the tropical area using leachate sludge from a landfill as an inoculum in a filter bioreactor (FtBR) and observed nitrogen removal performance. Ammonium and nitrite concentrations of 70, 150, and 200 mg-N/L were delivered into the reactor continuously with hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h and 12 h and run for 131 days at ambient tropical temperature (25–28 °C). High performance achieved with nitrogen removal rate (NRR), nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE), and ammonium conversion efficiency (ACE) were 0.866 kg-N/m3.d, 99.19%, and 98.90%, respectively. The cultivated leachate sludge could perform an anammox process with four anammox species, Candidatus Brocadia fulgida, Candidatus Brocadia sapporoensis, Candidatus Brocadia sp uncultured, Candidatus Jettenia sp with abundance 6.52%, 13.82%, 0.77%, and 0.69%, respectively. These findings contribute to the advancement of biotechnology in wastewater treatment, particularly in tropical countries, and highlight the potential for highly cost-effective technology.
Well-being of academics teaching at faculties of education in Türkiye: A qualitative analysis
Authors: GARİP Gökçe , KABLAN Zeynel
Published: January 2024

Higher levels of education and well-being are the indicators of the prosperity of nations and consequently the world. The academics that work at faculties of education are among the building blocks that contribute to the well-being of nations through the teachers they educate. The main purpose of this study is to explore the views of academics teaching at faculties of education on how their well-being is affected by their marital status, administrative duties, and professional seniority. In this qualitative phenomenological study, the data were collected through in-depth interviews. The quota sampling technique was adopted to ensure the diversity of participants and the richness of data. The participants were A total number of 20 academics teaching at 7 different faculties of education in Turkey. The data were analyzed by content analysis and findings are discussed in relation to prior research in the literature. The results of the study suggest that; for marital status, that sharing life and having support in a balanced relationship, being a parent, and motivation provided by the partner increase academics’ well-being while having to spare time to family and the negative social attitude towards single individuals negatively affect it. Regarding the administrative duties, taking responsibilities, being recognized for accomplishments, socialization, feeling of achievement, widening perspective, and reaching vast sources have a positive effect on well-being while the relationships based on self-interest and spending more time to administrative duties than academic studies reduce it. As for the professional seniority, accumulation of experience and knowledge, gaining titles, and widening social networks positively affect academics’ well-being while injustice, not getting tenure, and bureaucratic obstacles have a negative effect.
Adaptation of The Real and Electronic Communication Skills Questionnaire to Turkish Samples: Validity and Reliability Study
Authors: ERASLAN ÇAPAN Bahtiyar , KIRTEKE Sami , BAKİOĞLU Fuad
Published: January 2024

The aim of this research is to adapt the Real and Electronic Communication Skills Scale (RECS) to Turkish samples. The study consists of two stages. In the first stage, linguistic validity, exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency coefficient, test-retest, and item analysis studies were conducted with 680 adolescents. In the second stage, confirmatory factor analysis and concurrent validity were carried out with 409 participants. The findings obtained in the first stage indicated that the Real Communication Skills (RCS) subscale and the Electronic Communication Skills (ECS) subscale explained 60.64% and 58% of the total variance, respectively. It was determined that item factor loads varied between .62 and .89 for RCS and between .55 and .89 for ECS. The internal consistency coefficient and test-retest values were good. As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis performed in the second stage, the goodness of fit indexes of the scale were good (χ2=803.43; df=451; χ2/df=1.78; p=0.00; RMSEA=.044; SRMR=.04; GFI=.90; AGFI=.85; CFI=.98; NFI=.95; IFI =.98; RFI = .95). The concurrent validity analyses indicated that it had significant relationships with the Social Skills Scale, the Communication Skills Scale, and the Shyness Scale. As a result of the analyses, it can be said that the Turkish version of the RECS is valid and reliable.
Inclusiveness in Graduate Education in Developing Countries: A Document Analysis of Diversity and Inclusion in the PhD Postings
Authors: ERİÇOK Barış , GÜNBEY Melike , KARA Eray
Published: January 2024

This article aims to give insights into inclusiveness in graduate education and examine the admission procedures in developing countries. In this study, doctoral postings in the developing countries with the highest scores on the Inclusive Development Index were examined in terms of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion. From the perspective of diversity, it has been uncovered that PhD postings emphasize internationalization by highlighting lecturers from different fields, countries, and cultures. This research found that Polish PhD postings have more inclusive statements. This matches Poland's high Inclusive Development Index ranking. In terms of equity, PhD postings that highlighted opportunities for collaboration and teamwork encouraged candidates to participate in an egalitarian environment. The study found that postgraduate education in developing countries is increasingly emphasizing inclusion, but more work is needed to create an inclusive learning and working environment. This study revealed that PhD advertisements aim to attract qualified applicants with factors such as language proficiency, availability of financial aid, and lack of tuition fees. This study found that doctoral advertisements do not offend or hinder candidates. The last of the most obvious conclusions reached by this study is that doctoral advertisements do not offend or hinder candidates.
The Matthew Effect in Turkish Education System
Authors: ÖZER Mahmut
Published: January 2024

Over the past 20 years, Türkiye has transitioned its education system to the massification phase, and schooling rates have reached over 99% at all levels of education, from primary to secondary levels. In addition to increasing the accessibility of education to those from disadvantaged socioeconomic status and facilitating the access of girls to education, this important transformation has also increased the effectiveness of the education system. Furthermore, the period was also characterized by free distribution of textbooks and teaching materials to all students in an effort to increase the equality of education opportunities. The provision of free meals, transportation to school, scholarships, accommodation assistance for students in need, as well as conditional financial support based upon the continuation of education was provided to students. The implementation of many social policies has continued over the past two decades in a consistent manner. With such a large system with approximately 19 million students, it is evident that this approach focuses on increasing equality of opportunity in education as opposed to simply increasing educational access. The achievement gap between schools persists despite all these supportive mechanisms, some of which are rooted in the past, some of which have arisen from massification of education. This study discusses the areas or instruments that prevent all students accessing education from receiving the same quality of education, regardless of their socioeconomic status, and areas of higher "Matthew effect" severity. The Matthew effect is particularly strong in four areas, in particular, in the Turkish educational system: access to early childhood education, socioeconomic status, school tracking, and access to senior teachers. The study also provides suggestions for reducing the severity of the Matthew effect in these four areas.
The Effect of Collaborative Strategic Reading Model on Fourth Grade Students' Understanding Skills in Informative Texts
Authors: SEMERCİOĞLU Muhammed Serhat , ÇAĞLAYAN Kaya Tuncer , KIROĞLU Mustafa Kasim
Published: January 2024

The aim of this study is to
investigate the effect of teaching with Collaborative Strategic Reading Model
on fourth grade students' reading comprehension skills. In the quantitative
section, quasi-experimental design was used with pretest-postest control group.
The study group consisted of 39 students in the Dumlupinar Primary School
located in the central district of Gümüşhane in the 2017-2018 academic year.
There are 20 students in the experimental group and 19 students in the control
group. Measurement tools developed by the researchers have been used during the
determination of the groups and the application. During the implementation
phase, lessons have been given to the experimental group in accordance with the
Collaborative Strategic Reading Model throughout five sessions as each session
is to be four course hours; and the same texts have been given to the control
group by way of the same course hours according to the Goverment Teaching
Method included in the 2017 Turkish Program. In order to determine whether the
score distributions belonging to Reading Comprehension and Main Idea
Assignation have been distributed in a normal way, t-test has been used to
determine/identify the significance relating to gain scores with the findings
of Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test, pre-test and post-test. As a result, it has been
determined that the averages of the pre-test which was conducted to both
experimental and control groups have been close to each other, and that the
experimental group has had higher average than the control group in the last
test average. Anew, while a significant difference has been identified in the
experimental group between the pre-test and post-test of both applied tests,
there has been no significant difference identified in the control group. Furthermore,
any significant difference has not been identified between the experimental and
control groups.
Investigation of Mathematical Skills of 60-72 Months Old Children Attending Preschool Education in Terms of Some Variables
Authors: TOK Yasin , ÜNAL Merve
Published: January 2024

The aim of this study is to determine mathematical skills of 60-72 months old
children attending preschool education and whether these skills make a significant
difference in terms of gender, mother education, father education, number of
siblings, duration of preschool education and socio-economic status of family. The
research was designed with descriptive scanning model. The sample of the study
consisted of 372 children, 60-72 months of age, who were randomly selected from
each of official independent kindergartens of Ministry of National Education in
Battalgazi and Yeşilyurt districts of Malatya in 2018-2019 academic year. Early
Childhood Mathematics Education Content Standards Scale was used as data
collection tool. The data obtained from data collection tool were analyzed by using
Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis-H tests. As a result of research; It was found
that mathematical skill levels of 60-72 months old children attending pre-school
education institutions were above average. However, mathematical skill levels of
children did not show a significant difference according to gender variable; it was
found that the educational level of mother, father education status, number of
siblings, pre-school education period and socio-economic level of the family were
significantly different according to the variables.
Educational Data Mining and Learning Analytics: Past, Present and Future
Authors: ŞAHİN Muhittin , YURDUGÜL Halil
Published: January 2024

Educational data mining and
learning analytics have recently emerged as two important fields aimed at
rendering e-learning environments more effective. Aim of this study seeks first
to reveal the differences between these two fields and then to discuss the
future of these concepts by evaluating how they changed throughout history.
Educational data mining refers to uncovering the patterns hidden in the big
data whilst learning analytics is the use of these patterns to optimize
e-learning environments. One of the purposes of the study is to add to the
literature on the future trends regarding these concepts. In the very near
future, it seems that studies will be performed on EDM and the Industry 4.0 and
one of its application areas, “(Internet of Things-IoT)” and EDM has the
potential to substantially help researchers in discovering the patterns in the
interaction data in the Learning Management Systems and in designing more
effective learning environments. The studies on the future of learning
analytics are categorized in five main headings: personalization of learning
processes, learning design, learning experience design, dashboard design and
the Industry 4.0 applications.
The Effects of Academic Self-concept and Organizational Factors on Academic Achievement
Authors: CANTEKİN Ömer Faruk
Published: January 2024

University students’ achievement is influenced
by a number of factors. Academic self-concept and organizational factors are
among the significant ones. This study aims to investigate the effects of
academic self-concept and organizational factors on university students’
achievement and to discover whether this varies according to such variables as
gender, grade, place of accommodation, educational status of the parents, and
preference. The sample of the study consisted of the randomly selected 450
university students attending private and state universities in provincial
Ankara. The data were collected using Matovu Academic Self-Concept Scale and
Organizational Factors Scale. As a result of the study, it was found that
gender, the grade, the place of accommodation, administrative services and
practices, and physical setting and equipment positively affected student
achievement. Further studies are needed to investigate the combined effects of
the variables, including academic self-concept, thought to have an effect on
student achievement at university.          https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5096-3233
Digital Player Typologies in Gamification and Game-Based Learning: A Meta-Synthesis
Authors: SEZGİN Sezan
Published: January 2024

Educational practices based on individual differences have become more significant as a result of technological advances. Learners today, demand learning processes which contain visual stimuli, ease of use, fast thinking and movement and playful activities. The two of such learning approaches are gamification and game-based learning. This research is a concept-centric meta-synthesis study examining player types as an individual difference in playful learning environments. In this research, the studies which analysed the typology of players, are examined in terms of methods used, game environments and contextual aspects The definitions and classifications given in 11 researches were reviewed in detail and analysed in terms of their findings and conclusions. Content analysis revealed the common points and 9 different thematic components in relation to general player typology were identified. According to study, it is concluded that, player typologies can be used as an individual difference criterion in the game-based educational processes. However, it is also recognized that player typologies identified by different researchers may not be eligible for all settings and practices. Given that game-based approaches are highly affected from cultural context, cultural characteristics of community of learners should be taken into consideration if these approaches to be employed in learning environments.
Examination of the Evidences Used by the Secondary School Students in the Process of Socio-Scientific Argumentation: Example of Global Climate Change
Authors: KUTLUCA Ali Yiğit , ÇETİN Pınar Seda , AKBAŞ Melike
Published: January 2024

The
aim of this study was to determine the functions of the evidence used by the
sixth, seventh and eighth grade students during the whole group and small group
socio-scientific argumentation, and to determine the differences with respect
to grade level. In this single case study conducted with the participation of a
totally 70 secondary school students studying in the sixth, seventh and eighth
grades of a public school firstly, an knowledge test with three open-ended
questions was applied to determine the students' conceptions about global
climate change. Then, the students were included in small and whole group
discussion through two different socio-scientific scenarios in the context of
global climate change. The whole and small group discussions among the students
of each class level were recorded with the voice recorder. The evidences that
students used during their small and whole group discussion were analyzed with
the analytical evidence assessment tool that includes different categories of
evidence Analysis of collected data; found out that the eighth grade students
who were better in terms of their level of knowledge compared to the other
students were leading the use of total evidence. Besides, it is also among the
important results that students tend to refute the counter-claims predominantly
and use evidence to support their own claims. The results were discussed on the
basis of relevant literature and specific recommendations were given.
The Effect of Cyberbullying and Traditional Bullying on English Language Learners’ National and Oriented Identities
Authors: PEKER Hilal
Published: January 2024

Bullying is defined as aggressive, repeated and intentional harm doing as a result of imbalance of power among individuals (Olweus, 1993). Both traditional bullying and cyberbullying towards ELLs, including minorities and refugees, increased immensely as a result of recent political events in the U.S. (Peker, 2016). ELLs are the most exposed victims of bullying due to language barriers in responding to bullies, which affects their identities, as they adapt to and settle in their new community. However, little research has addressed the bullying victimization of racial and ethnic minority students, although 54% of Asians and 34% of Latinos have been bullied in classrooms compared to 31% of White students (National Center for Education Statistics, 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate bullying victimization and L2 identity among the adult ELLs in the U.S. The quantitative data were collected from 1464 ELLs through an adapted survey consisting of five-point Likert scale items. The quantitative data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results indicated that cyberbullying was a more powerful factor than traditional bullying affecting both national and oriented ELL identities.