bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
El estado de la ciencia durante el COVID-19 y el derecho al consentimiento informado
Authors: Ortiz Fernández Manuel
Published: December 2020

La situación generada por el COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) nos obliga a repensar el sistema de responsabilidad civil sanitario y, dentro del mismo, el aplicable al ámbito del consentimiento informado. En este sentido, para determinar la adecuación de la conducta a la lex artis ad hoc se hace necesario reflexionar acerca del estado de la ciencia para determinar si los conocimientos permitían actuar en otro sentido. Desde nuestra perspectiva, no cabe reprochar aquellos actos que, no siendo los idóneos desde una perspectiva ex post, aparecían como los correctos con el conocimiento que se manejaba cuando se llevaron a cabo (ex ante). Pues bien, en principio, existen argumentos suficientes para afirmar que no contamos, en la actualidad, con datos suficientes sobre el origen, las consecuencias y las características esenciales del virus y que, por tanto, no nos encontramos en un estadio de total dominio por parte de la comunidad científica. Este motivo provoca que podamos aplicar una moderación o limitación de responsabilidad sobre ciertos actos e, incluso, una ausencia de la misma.
Climate Change and Hybrid Warfare Strategies
Authors: Briggs Chad
Published: December 2020

Concepts of hybrid warfare and climate security are contested on their own, and are rarely considered as connected in planning for future security risks. Yet climate change presents new hazards for national security, and opportunities for those looking to foment instability and uncertainty in traditional institutions. This article examines the connections between climate change risks and hybrid war strategies, and focuses on concepts of resilience targeting, information warfare, and geoengineering, illustrating that ‘full spectrum’ analyses of security are necessary in developing future security strategies.
Peran Kepala Sekolah dalam Menciptakan Iklim Kerja yang kondusif di SD IT Ummi Aida Medan
Authors: Ritonga Nurul Ajima
Published: December 2020

This study aims to determine: 1) the efforts made byhead master in creating a conducive working climate at SDIT Ummi Aida Medan, 2) Supporting and inhibiting factors in creating a conducive working climate at SDIT Ummi Aida Medan. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative method of case study research. The data sources of this research are primary and secondary data, the main informants are head master, teachers and students at SDIT Ummi Aida Medan as characteristics of the research object, equipped with documents and archives that support the research data. The sampling technique used was Purposive sampling. Data collection techniques used were observation, interviews and documentation. The data analysis used is an interactive analysis which includes data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results of the research that have been carried out are as follows: 1. The efforts of the head master in creating a conducive working climate at SDIT Ummi Aida Medan are a. The principal establishes interactive communication with teachers through formal and informal approaches in an effort to create harmony, b. Head Master gives rewards in the form of praise and gifts as a form of appreciation for the quality of teacher work, c. Provide opportunities for teachers to help students develop skills through extracurricular activities, especially in the fields of religion and the arts. 2. Supporting and inhibiting factors in an effort to create a conducive work climate at SDIT Ummi Aida Medan, namely: a. Teacher awareness of the importance of teamwork in maximizing work, b. support from the foundation in facilitating and providing facilities that contribute to a comfortable working environment for teachers. the inhibiting factor is the teacher's different personalities and personal principles.
Answer Set Programming to Model Plan Agent Scenarios
Authors: Flores Fernando Zacarias , Canto Rosalba Cuapa , López José María Ángeles
Published: December 2020

One of the most challenging aspects of reasoning, planning, and acting in an agent domain is reasoning about what an agent knows about their environment to consider when planning and acting. There are various proposals that have addressed this problem using modal, epistemic and other logics. In this paper we explore how to take advantage of the properties of Answer Set Programming for this purpose. The Answer Set Programming's property of non-monotonicity allow us to express causality in an elegant fashion. We begin our discussion by showing how Answer Set Programming can be used to model the frog’s problem. We then illustrate how this problem can be represented and solved using these concepts. In addition, our proposal allows us to solve the generalization of this problem, that is, for any number of frogs.
An Inventory Management System for Deteriorating Items with Ramp Type and Quadratic Demand: A Structural Comparative Study
Authors: Mandal Biswaranjan
Published: December 2020

The present paper deals with an inventory management system with ramp type and quadratic demand rates. A constant deterioration rate is considered into the model. In the two types models, the optimum time and total cost are derived when demand is ramp type and quadratic. A structural comparative study is demonstrated here by illustrating the model with sensitivity analysis.
A Data Extraction Algorithm from Open Source Software Project Repositories for Building Duration Estimation Models: Case Study of Github
Authors: K. Moulla Donatien , Abran Alain , yang Kol
Published: December 2020

Software project estimation is important for allocating resources and planning a reasonable work schedule. Estimation models are typically built using data from completed projects. While organizations have their historical data repositories, it is difficult to obtaintheir collaboration due to privacy and competitive concerns. To overcome the issue of public access to private data repositories this study proposes an algorithm to extract sufficient data from the GitHub repository for building duration estimation models. More specifically, this study extracts and analyses historical data on WordPress projects to estimate OSS project duration using commits as an independent variable as well as an improved classification of contributors based on the number of active days for each contributor within a release period. The results indicate that duration estimation models using data from OSS repositories perform well and partially solves the problem of lack of data encountered in empirical research in software engineering.
Government policies and implementation for sugarcane production in western Uttar Pradesh: A review
Authors: Kandari Prashant , Kumar Rajeev
Published: December 2020

India is the original place of sugarcane production. Sugar cane is used to prepare sugar and its other forms in India. In 1920, the then Governor-General of India established the Indian Sugar Committee, wishing a bright future for the business of sugar. In the year 1930, a Tariff Board was established on the recommendation of the sub-Committee of the Research Council of India. In this, the Government of India was recommended to protect the sugar industry. Though in Pratappur, UP, India’s first sugar mill was established, yet the farmers were facing numerous problems due to lack of installed system. The Government of India passed Sugar cane act 1934 and through which authorised state Governments to control prices of sugar manufactured by different sugar mills. In Uttar Pradesh, the Department of Sugar Development was established in 1935. The paper discusses the policies and their implementation in the field of sugar production.
Pengembangan Lembar Kerja Siswa (LKS) Bernuansa Quantum Teaching Untuk Meningkatkan Minat Dan Hasil Belajar Siswa Kelas IV Di Sekolah Dasar
Authors: Widiyanti Desi , Hadi Khairil
Published: December 2020

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the results of the development of LKS nuanced quantum teaching and increased student interest and learning outcomes. This research uses educational development method with 4D Models Thiagarajan, but only consists of 3 (three) stages, namely the defining stage, the planning stage, and the developing and disseminating stages. The population and sample are grade IV students. Data collection instruments used consisted of LKS validation sheets, teacher and student response questionnaires, student interest questionnaires, student interest observation sheets, pretest and posttest. Data analysis uses a Likert scale by changing quantitative values ​​into qualitative values. The results of this study note that the results of the product development in the field of quantum teaching have a very good category so that it is feasible to be used as teaching material in science lessons. Students are very interested in the product development of LKS nuanced quantum teaching as the results of the average percentage of students' interest in LKS is 85.42%. The results of LKS development products have been able to improve student learning outcomes as the results of the average percentage of pretest practice questions by 51.94% and in posttest practice questions by 73.78%.
 
Abstrak: Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui hasil pengembangan LKS bernuansa quantum teaching dan peningkatan minat dan hasil belajar siswa. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode pengembangan pendidikan dengan 4D Models Thiagarajan, tapi hanya terdiri dari 3 (tiga) tahap yaitu tahap pendefinisian (define), tahap perencanaan (design), dan tahap pengembangan (develop) dan penyebaran (disseminate). Populasi dan sampel adalah siswa kelas IV. Instrumen pengumpulan data yang digunakan terdiri dari lembar validasi LKS, angket respon guru dan siswa, angket minat siswa, lembar observasi minat siswa, pretes dan postes. Analisis data menggunakan skala likert dengan mengubah nilai kuantitatif menjadi nilai kualitatif. Hasil penelitian ini diketahui bahwa hasil produk pengembangan LKS bernuansa quantum teaching memiliki kategori sangat baik sehingga layak untuk digunakan sebagai bahan ajar pada pelajaran IPA. Siswa sangat berminat terhadap produk pengembangan LKS bernuansa quantum teaching sebagaimana hasil persentase rata-rata minat siswa terhadap LKS yaitu 85,42 %. Hasil produk pengembangan LKS telah dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar siswa sebagaimana hasil persentase rata-rata soal latihan pretest sebesar 51,94 % dan pada soal latihan postest sebesar 73,78 %.
Pengembangan Bahan Ajar Berbasis Masalah Terintegrasi Etnomatematika Untuk Meningkatkan Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah Siswa Kelas XI SMA
Authors: Wiska Ana , Tanjung Henra Saputra , Rahman Arief Aulia , Nasryah Cut Eva
Published: December 2020

Abstract: It takes teaching material that can train students in solving mathematical problems. One of the teaching materials that can be developed to improve students' mathematical problem solving skills is problem-based teaching material. The purpose of this research is to describe: the validity of integrated problem-based ethnomatematics teaching materials developed; the effectiveness of ethnomatematics integrated problem-based teaching materials developed; and student responses to integrated problem-based ethnomatematics teaching materials developed. This research is a research development. This research was conducted through two stages, namely the first stage of developing ethnomatematics integrated problem-based teaching materials using the Four-D model, and the second stage of testing the ethnomatematics integrated problem-based teaching materials developed in class XI of SMA Negeri 1 Meureubo to see their effectiveness. From these two stages, it was obtained: integrated ethnomatemics problem-based teaching materials developed were valid, based on the results of the validation conducted by the validators; integrated ethnomatematics problem-based teaching materials developed effectively, in terms of classical student mastery learning and achievement of learning objectives; and positive student responses to the integrated problem-based ethnomatematics activity and teaching material developed.
Abstrak: Dibutuhkan bahan ajar yang dapat melatih siswa dalam memecahkan masalah matematika. Salah satu bahan ajar yang dapat dikembangkan untuk meningkatkan kemampuan pemecahan masalah matematika siswa adalah bahan ajar berbasis masalah. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mendeskripsikan: kevalidan bahan ajar berbasis masalah terintegrasi etnomatematika yang dikembangkan; efektifitas bahan ajar berbasis masalah terintegrasi etnomatematika yang dikembangkan; dan respon siswa terhadap bahan ajar berbasis masalah terintegrasi etnomatematika yang dikembangkan. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian pengembangan. Penelitian ini dilakukan melalui dua tahap, yaitu tahap pertama mengembangkan bahan ajar berbasis masalah terintegrasi etnomatematika menggunakan model pengembangan Four-D, dan tahap kedua mengujicobakan bahan ajar berbasis masalah terintegrasi etnomatematika yang dikembangkan di kelas XI SMA Negeri 1 Meureubo untuk melihat efektifitasnya. Dari kedua tahap tersebut, diperoleh:  bahan ajar berbasis masalah terintegrasi etnomatematika yang dikembangkan valid, berdasarkan hasil validasi yang dilakukan oleh para validator; bahan ajar berbasis masalah terintegrasi etnomatematika yang dikembangkan efektif, ditinjau dari ketuntasan belajar siswa secara klasikal serta ketercapaian tujuan pembelajaran;  dan respon positif siswa terhadap aktifitas dan bahan ajar berbasis masalah terintegrasi etnomatematika yang dikembangkan.
Pessoas transgêneras como condição de vida precária e corpos abjetos na literatura: análise judicial dos casos RE 670.422/RS, RE 845.779/SC e a ADPF 527
Authors: Quinupa Antonio Marcos
Published: December 2020

O artigo reflete a impossibilidade de um estudo comparado entre a Literatura Brasileira e a Literatura Cubana no que concerne às pessoas transgêneras; e às demais pessoas gênero-divergentes. Trabalha a partir da análise do grau de erudição que o texto “Máscaras”, do escritor Cubano Leonardo Padura. Apresenta o repertório do autor em torno do termo das pessoas transe aponta que na Literatura Brasileira algo similar não exista. Para não nos furtarmos do estudo comparado far-se-á análise do caso de Verônica Bolina. Para compor a análise do caso busca-se o entendimento judicial proferido às pessoas transgêneras nos seguintes casos: RE 670.422/RS, RE 845.779/SC e a ADPF 527 que suscitam a discussão, pari passu, ao texto literário, qual seja; distinção do que seja sexo, gênero, orientação sexual e identidade de gênero.
O que podemos aprender com Starbucks, Wal-Mart e Lidl? Uma análise da tentativa de uniformização do direito contratual de compra e venda internacional de mercadorias
Authors: Floriani Lara Bonemer Rocha
Published: December 2020

A partir das experiências concretas da Starbucks, Wal-Mart e Lidl, este artigo se propôs a demonstrar a necessidade de se considerar o contexto local para a aplicação das Leis. O caso analisado, foi o da Convenção de Viena de Compra e Venda Internacional de Mercadorias. Assim, partindo-se da perspectiva culturalista de Pierre Legrand, demonstrou-se que a Lei é singular, pois intrínsecamente ligada à cultura do local de sua criação e que sua efetividade está diretamente à consideração deste aspecto. O método que orientou esta pesquisa foi o comparatista culturalista, abordagem que considera os aspectos culturais para a compreensão do problema a ser analisado. Assim, em um primeiro momento apresentou-se o contexto histórico de surgimento da CISG, até seu estágio atual, indicando os problemas relacionados a sua utilização. Na sequência, foi introduzida a teoria de Pierre Legrand e a análise de Paul Berman acerca do pluralismo inerente à Convenção, para então, tratar das experiências das companhias Starbucks, Wal-Mart e Lidl. Ao final, foram tecidas considerações acerca do mito da uniformização das Leis, em especial da CISG, e proposta uma mudança de abordagem, mediante a adoção da perspectiva culturalista e do processo de glocalização.
A metadogmática do direito comercial brasileiro
Authors: Warde Júnior Walfrido Jorge , Bayeux Neto Jose Luiz
Published: December 2020

A metadogmática transcende a dogmática na sua objetividade, referindo-se, contudo, a categorias e conceitos dogmáticos. O termo é empregado, no contexto de uma metódica (teoria do método), para designar um produto da interpretação (possivelmente para fins de atualização do direito), que expresse uma visão externa do fenômeno jurídico, às vezes voltada à aplicação da norma, mas sempre dedicada a uma reflexão que confronta fatores exógenos aos dogmáticos. Qualquer rearranjo programático (do âmbito, das funções ou das técnicas) de uma disciplina jurídica, que produza um resultado dogmático, pressupõe um diálogo entre política do direito e dogmática, que é próprio da metadogmática. Uma metadogmática do direito comercial propõe, por exemplo, à porção da ciência objetiva do direito que caracteriza o direito comercial, um objeto, funções e técnicas, sem dizer a norma em seu conteúdo objetivo (mesmo que da proposta decorra um conteúdo). Este artigo, que expressa proposições próprias do discurso metadogmático, quer prestar alguma contribuição ao debate atual sobre o conteúdo do direito comercial, na medida em que as conclusões aqui expressas o antecedem, capazes, bem por isso, de inculcar impressões acerca dos seus caminhos.
The impact of corporate social responsibility on customer citizenship behavior: The mediating role of customer-company identification and moderating role of generation.
Authors: Alhouz Fatima , Hasouneh Abdulbaset
Published: December 2020

This study investigates the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on customer citizenship behavior in the hospitality industry. Further, it explores the mediation effect of customer-company identification and the moderating role of generation in the CSR-customer citizenship behavior relationship. Data from 430 customers have been collected from five-star hotels in North Cyprus and the structural equation model has been employed to test the study hypotheses. The results revealed that CSR has a strong impact on customer citizenship behavior. Further, customer-company identification partially mediated the positive relationship between CSR and customer citizenship behavior. Moreover, generation moderates CSR and customer citizenship behavior relationship.
АЛГОРИТМ АНАЛИЗА ПЕРЕВОДА ПОЭТИЧЕСКОГО ПРОИЗВЕДЕНИЯ КАК ФОРМИРОВАНИЕ СОСТАВЛЯЮЩИХ ПЕРЕВОДЧЕСКОЙ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТИ СТУДЕНТОВ
Authors: Chulyan Anna
Published: December 2020

ANNA CHULYAN- ALGORITHM OF POETRY TRANSLATION ANALYSIS AS
A METHOD FOR BUILDING STUDENTS’ TRANSLATION COMPETENCE
The paper presents the concept and the algorithm for the analyzes of
the poetic work translation which might serve as a method of forming
components of students’ translational competence. The main objective of the
article is to present efficient ways to develop the ability of students to make
practical use of the knowledge in a particular situation. The work on the
translation analysis will facilitate the integration of students in the area of
creative activity, will help them to develop skills in the translation of poetry
and to edit translated texts.
Isoprene and monoterpene emissions from alder, aspen and spruce short
rotation forest plantations in the UK
Authors: Purser Gemma , Drewer Julia , Heal Mathew R. , Sircus Robert A. S. , Dunn Lara K. , Morison James I. L.
Published: December 2020

Abstract. An expansion of bioenergy has been proposed to help reduce fossil-fuel greenhouse gas emissions, and short-rotation forestry (SRF) can contribute to that expansion. However, SRF plantations could also be sources of biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions, which can impact on atmospheric air quality. In this study, emissions of isoprene and 11 monoterpenes from the branches and forest floor of hybrid aspen, Italian alder and Sitka spruce stands in an SRF field trial in central Scotland were measured during two years (2018–2019) and used to derive emission potentials for different seasons. Sitka spruce was included as a comparison as it is the most extensive plantation species in the UK. Winter and spring emissions of isoprene and monoterpenes were small compared to those in summer. Sitka spruce had a standardised average emission rate of 15 μg C g−1 h−1 for isoprene in the dry and warm summer of 2018, more than double the emissions in 2019. However, standardised average isoprene emissions from hybrid aspen were similar across both years, approximately 23 μg C g−1 h−1 and standardised average isoprene emissions from Italian alder were very low. Average standardised total monoterpene emissions for these species followed a similar pattern of higher emissions in the warmer year: Sitka spruce emitting 4.5 μg C g−1 h−1 and 2.3 μg C g−1 h−1 for 2018 and 2019, aspen emitting 0.3 μg C g−1 h−1 and 0.09 μg C g−1 h−1 and Italian alder emitting, 1.5 μg C g−1 h−1 and 0.2 μg C g−1 h−1, respectively. In contrast to these foliage emissions, the forest floor was only a small source of monoterpenes, typically one or two orders of magnitude lower than foliage emissions on a unit ground area basis. Estimates of total annual emissions from each plantation type per hectare were derived using the MEGAN 2.1 model. The modelled total BVOC (isoprene and monoterpenes) emissions of SRF hybrid aspen plantations were approximately half those of Sitka spruce for plantations of the same age. Italian alder SRF emissions were 20 times smaller than from Sitka spruce. The expansion of bioenergy plantations to 0.7 Mha has been suggested for the UK to help achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The model estimates show that with such an expansion total UK BVOC emissions would increase between
Inishell 2.0: Semantically driven automatic GUI generation for
scientific models
Authors: Bavay Mathias , Reisecker Michael , Egger Thomas , Korhammer Daniela
Published: December 2020

Abstract. As numerical model developers, we have experienced first hand how most users struggle with the configuration of the models, leading to numerous support requests. Such issues are usually mitigated by offering a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that flattens the learning curve. This requires however a significant investment for the model developer as well as a specific skill set. Moreover, this does not fit with the daily duties of model developers. As a consequence, when a GUI has been created, usually within a specific project and often relying on an intern, the maintenance either constitutes a major burden or is not performed. This also tends to limit the evolution of the numerical models themselves, since the model developers try to avoid having to change the GUI. In this paper we describe an approach based on an XML description of the required numerical model configuration elements and a C++/Qt tool (Inishell) that creates a GUI based on this description on the fly. This makes maintenance of the GUI very simple and enables users to easily get an up-to-date GUI for configuring the numerical model. The first version of this tool was written almost ten years ago and showed that the concept works very well for our own surface processes models. A full rewrite offering a more modern interface and extended capabilities is presented in this paper.
New measures of deep soil water recharge during the vegetation restoration process in semi-arid regions of northern China
Authors: Cheng Yiben , Li Xinle , Wang Yunqi , Zhan Hongbin , Yang Wenbin , Jiang Qunou
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Desertification in semi-arid regions is currently a global environmental and societal problem. This research attempts to understand whether a 40-year-old rain-fed Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch sand-fixing land as part of the Three North Shelterbelt Program (3NSP) of China can be developed sustainably or not using a newly designed lysimeter to monitor the precipitation-induced deep soil recharge (DSR) at 220 cm of depth. Evapotranspiration is calculated through a water balance equation when precipitation and soil moisture data are collected. A comparison of soil particle sizes and soil moisture distributions in artificial sand-fixing land and neighboring bare land is made to assess the impact of sand-fixing reforestation. Results show that such a sand-fixing reforestation results in a root system being mainly developed in the horizontal direction and a changed soil particle distribution. Specifically, the sandy soil with 50.53 % medium sand has been transformed into a sandy soil with 68.53 % fine sand. Within the Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch sand-fixing experimental area, the DSR values in the bare sand plot and Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch plot are respectively 283.6 and 90.6 mm in wet years, reflecting a difference of more than 3 times. The deep soil layer moisture in semi-arid sandy land is largely replenished by precipitation-induced infiltration. The DSR values of the bare sandy land plot and Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch plot are respectively 51.6 and 2 mm in dry years, a difference of more than 25 times. The proportions of DSR reduced by Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch are 68.06 % and 96.12 % in wet and dry years, respectively. This research shows that Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch in semi-arid regions can continue to grow and has the capacity to fix sand. It consumes a large amount of precipitated water and reduces the amount of DSR considerably.
Assessment of responses of North Atlantic winter sea surface temperature to the North Atlantic Oscillation on an interannual scale in 13 CMIP5 models
Authors: Jing Yujie , Li Yangchun , Xu Yongfu
Published: December 2020

Abstract. This study evaluates the response of winter-average sea surface
temperature (SST) to the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) simulated
by 13 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) Earth system models in the North Atlantic (NA) (0–65∘ N) on an interannual scale. Most of the models can reproduce an observed
tripolar pattern of the response of the SST anomalies to the NAO on an
interannual scale. The model bias is mainly reflected in the locations of
the negative-response centers in the subpolar NA (45–65∘ N), which
is mainly caused by the bias of the response of the SST anomalies to the
NAO-driven turbulent heat flux (THF) anomalies. Although the influence of
the sensible heat flux (SHF) on the SST is similar to that of the latent heat flux (LHF), it seems that the SHF may play a larger role in the response of
the SST to the NAO, and the weak negative response of the SST anomalies to
the NAO-driven LHF anomalies is mainly caused by the overestimated oceanic
role in the interaction of the LHF and SST. Besides the THF, some other
factors which may impact the relationship of the NAO and SST are discussed.
The relationship of the NAO and SST is basically not affected by the heat
meridional advection transports on an interannual timescale, but it may be
influenced by the cutoffs of data filtering, the initial fields, and
external-forcing data in some individual models, and in the tropical NA it
can also be affected by the different definitions of the NAO indices.
What Motivates L3 Learners’ Investment and/or Divestment in Arabic? Understanding Learning Motivation in terms of “Identity”
Authors: Liao Jing , An Ning , Zheng Yongyan
Published: December 2020

The study extends our understanding of the relationship between identity and Arabic learning in the Chinese context from a sociolinguistic perspective. Drawing on Darvin and Norton’s (2015) model of investment, the study explores the interplay between identity and investment in the context of Chinese learners’ motivation to learn Arabic. The sample population comprises 25 adult Arabic learners with Chinese as their first language, English as their second language, and Arabic as their third language. Qualitative data from learners’ retrospective narrative accounts and complementary semi-structured interviews were analyzed in terms of identity and investment. The findings show that these Chinese Arabic learners’ constitutive orientation towards language learning is highly related to their multifaceted and fluid identities (inherited identities, competitive identities, and imagined identities), which are complex and dynamic and can be negotiated and constructed over time, involving learners’ perceptions of affordances in capital resources and their goals of acquiring symbolic and material resources. Therefore, investment/divestment is influenced by the interconnections between identities and perceptions. The study concludes with some methodological and theoretical implications for future research on learning LOTEs (languages other than English) and investment.
Creativity Impact on Language Achievement: A correlational study of Iranian EFL learners
Authors: Zokaee Mojtaba , Baghbanian Abdolvahab , Nejad Mohammad Abbas
Published: December 2020

This study investigated the correlation between Creativity and Language Achievement (LA) among Iranian EFL learners (n=138) from three different Iranian universities. Learners were invited through census sampling technique to participate in the study. General English questions (adapted from university entrance exam) and Self-report Creativity Test designed by Rand Sip et al. (1979) were employed for collecting data on LA and creativity, respectively. Questionnaires were distributed among the participants during the class hours by prior arrangement with teachers and learners, and were collected a few days later. SPSS statistics software was used to find the relationship between the study variables. Overall, 103 learners, aged 18 to 27, returned the questionnaires for analysis. The creativity scores ranged from 134 to 210 and the LA scores were between 0 and 16. The Pearson correlation coefficient test revealed no significant correlation between the participants’ creativity and their language achievement (r = -0.136, p =0.17).
Building professional learning communities of foreign language teachers in higher education
Authors: Wen Qiufang , Zhang Hong
Published: December 2020

In recent decades there has been increasing interest in identifying the critical features of effective professional learning communities (PLCs). This identification is useful for evaluating the quality of a PLC, but not for building one. This study aims at describing a conceptual model for developing a new PLC, illustrating its application with an example. The model is explained in terms of four constitutive elements (PARTICIPANTS, OBJECTIVES, MEDIATORS, and MECHANISM), and their interactive relations. The development of a PLC of foreign language teachers (PLC-FLTs) at Beijing Foreign Studies University is used to illustrate how the model can function successfully. The illustration is coupled with a discussion of the PLC’s decades of experience in collective leadership, management of the four elements, and tips for tackling various challenges in keeping the PLC going.
History of the Mediterranean Studies Association: An Eyewitness Account
Authors: Taggie Benjamin Frederick
Published: December 2020

The formation of the Mediterranean Studies Association was the result of a chance meeting and new friendship established at an academic meeting at Notre Dame University in 1986. In the years that followed, the collaborations of Rick Clement and Benjamin Taggie led to the unanticipated establishment of the academic journal Mediterranean Studies, now in its twenty-eighth year of publication. In 1994 the Mediterranean Studies Association was formally established and in 1998 organized its first International Congress in Lisbon, Portugal. Over the next quarter century, overcoming many challenging situations and through the efforts of the original founders and including, since 2001, Louise Taggie, the organization has grown into a major organization devoted to interdisciplinary and international education and research, now with over sixteen hundred members worldwide. The MSA has also been an active participant and/or creator of such academic endeavors as the Nocciano Institute for the Arts and Culture, the University of Massachusetts Summer Sicily Program, and the Summer Program in Évora, Portugal.
Do It Once, Own It Forever?
Authors: Taggie Louise A.
Published: December 2020

The author shares the challenges of maneuvering a nonprofit academic organization into a business model so it can be sustainable while following strict federal and state guidelines. By overhauling the entire conference registration process, streamlining international financial transactions, and better managing visa application requirements of multiple countries, we have been able to transform the MSA. These were the steps that were necessary to make the Mediterranean Studies Association a successful and thriving global organization.
Discovery, New Frontiers, and Expansion at the Mediterranean Studies Conferences: 1998–2019
Authors: Raspa Richard
Published: December 2020

In this essay, I remember my 20-year history of extraordinary moments in the Mediterranean Studies Association. From the first MSA conference I attended, the theme has always been discovery, new frontiers and expansion. The same theme characterizes the many memorable social interchanges I have enjoyed at the annual meetings. This essay traces my personal odyssey in the MSA. Others will have their own parallel though different experiences.
Los castigos escolares en la década de los setenta. Relatos de estudiantes y profesores
Authors: Cruz Acevedo Adilia Aracelly , Díaz Pérez Adolfo Alejandro , Hernández Navarro Yesika Karina
Published: December 2020

En la Educación tradicional un adagio coloquial decía que “la letra con sangre entra”, y aunque hoy en las tertulias populares es recordada con jocosidad y picardía, en la escuela tradicional de la década de los 70’ esta expresión tenía severas implicancias, pues nos situamos en la escuela en donde contradecir el argumento de un profesor, desacatar cualquier orientación, incumplir con las tareas, no memorizar y no recitar las lecciones tal como eran, conducía a un inminente castigo. Es por eso que la presente investigación parte de estos supuestos y realiza una copiosa recopilación de testimonios en la voz de estudiantes de la década de los 70’, quienes en sus estudios de Educación Primaria fueron castigados y años después decidieron embarcarse en la aventura del ejercicio de la profesión docente. La metodología con la que se desarrolló el estudio fue la historia oral, y contó con la participación de dieciocho informantes claves a quienes se les entrevistó de manera virtual en el contexto de la pandemia de la Covid-19. Los resultados del estudio permiten caracterizar los tipos de castigos, causas, consecuencias, rol de los padres de familias y el rol de los futuros profesores que en su formación escolar fueron castigados.
El movimiento estudiantil de secundaria en Matagalpa en el marco de la lucha revolucionaria 1975-1979
Authors: Gutiérrez Buschting Salvador
Published: December 2020

Los movimientos estudiantiles en Nicaragua han estado presentes en el devenir histórico de la nación y han tenido incidencia desde los inicios del proceso de independencia de España en 1821, aunque la participación de los estudiantes durante algunos periodos no fue visible en la sociedad, cabe destacar que han jugado un papel fundamental en la conformación del Estado Nación y por ende de la memoria histórica del país. La Asociación de Estudiantes de Secundaria ha de concebirse como un movimiento particular en América Latina, puesto que estaba liderado por estudiantes de secundaria, sin conducción de los estudiantes universitarios de León, Managua o Carazo. Estos estudiantes de secundaria desarrollaron diversas actividades de organización, agitación y de movilización en la ciudad de Matagalpa hasta llegar a una de sus acciones más conocidas como lo fue la “Insurrección de los muchachos”, elemento que lo destaca y particulariza, de igual manera juegan un papel importante con su participación en el Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional que vanguardiza el derrocamiento de la Dictadura Militar de Somoza el 19 de julio de 1979, que asumieron destacadamente como cuadros de base e intermedios en el Regional Faustino Ruiz “El Cuje”.
Análisis etnobotánico en la comunidad de Nancimi, Rivas: una aproximación a sus saberes ancestrales
Authors: Galeano Rueda Ligia
Published: December 2020

El presente análisis etnobotánico tiene un carácter cualitativo descriptivo con un enfoque multidisciplinario, éste sería una primera aproximación para conocer de los saberes etnobotánicos de la comunidad de Nancimi localizada en el departamento de Rivas. Los resultados del presente análisis permiten vislumbrar tópicos sobre la modificación cultural de los saberes etnobotánicos de la comunidad de Nancimi, Tola, cuya fuente de influencia se puede atribuir a la globalización, sin embargo, la cultura agrícola de la zona tiene rasgos ancestrales como el uso del espeque, cabe destacar que la práctica de la agricultura extensiva ha provocado la desaparición de plantas comunes en la localidad las que actualmente solo son reconocidas por unos pocos habitantes, observándose que las plantas utilizadas comúnmente son recuperadas a la orilla de los ríos, en los jardines de las casas o han sido introducidas de Costa Rica.
Saemaul Undong: aportes para el desarrollo rural en Nicaragua
Authors: Rojas Icabalzeta Ruth Nohemí , Hernández Velásquez José Ramón
Published: December 2020

El Saemaul Undong se analiza como un aporte para el desarrollo rural en Nicaragua. El estudio que aquí se presenta tiene como objetivo explicar los factores que hicieron posible la transformación de las comunidades rurales en Corea del sur y los factores que pueden hacer posible su aplicación en Nicaragua desde las propias realidades. La metodología utilizada es la investigación documental, que implicó la revisión, análisis y discusión de los temas que se abordan. El principal resultado del análisis radica en que el modelo agroexportador en Nicaragua no ha significado una estrategia de desarrollo económico integral del país, en tanto el Saemaul Undong, con sus principios elementales 1.0 de Diligencia, Autoayuda y Cooperación, así como los principios 2.0 de Compartir, Servicio y Creatividad pueden constituir principios activos para lograr el desarrollo rural comunitario. Se concluye en que es necesario conocer las experiencias de otros países que puedan contribuir a mejorar la calidad de vida en el campo.
Antibiotic resistance profile of gram-negative bacteria isolated from dog nasal swab samples, and antibacterial and antioxidant activities of aqueous extracts of Alpinia purpurta (Vieill.) K. Schum (Zingiberaceae)
Authors:   Universidade Paranaense, Matusaiki Camila de Cuffa , Ferreira Rafaela Galves ,   Universidade Paranaense, Otutumi Luciana Kazue ,   Universidade Paranaense, Santos Isabela Carvalho dos ,   Universidade Paranaense, Ramos Felipe André Pereira ,   Universidade Paranaense, Mezalira Taniara Suelen ,   Universidade Paranaense, Jacomassi Ezilda ,   Universidade Paranaense, Barbosa Lidiane Nunes ,   Universidade Paranaense, Gonçalves Daniela Dib ,   Universidade Paranaense, Soares Andréia Assunção ,   Universidade Paranaense
Published: December 2020

The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine and their negligent use among dog owners have contributed to the rise of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms found in pets. In addition, the search for medicinal plants with antibacterial properties has made the evaluation of aqueous extracts of Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K. Schum an important issue. Thus, the aim of this work was to determine the antibiotic resistance profile of gram-negative bacteria isolated from nasal swab samples of dogs and assess the antibacterial activity of the aqueous extracts of leaves and rhizomes of A. purpurata. The bacteria identified were tested using the agar disc diffusion assay for the evaluation of antibiotic resistance. A total of 16 isolates were obtained from the 19 samples collected, with a high prevalence of Escherichia coli (n=5). There was a high rate of resistance to ?-lactams, where the highest percentage was seen for amoxicillin (72.5%). Aqueous leaf extracts had high levels of total phenolic compounds (637.47 µg GAE mg-1), differing significantly (p < 0.05) from aqueous rhizome extracts (228.64 µg GAE mg-1). There was no significant difference in EC50 of DPPH values between the aqueous extracts; however, the antioxidant capacity of rhizome extracts had higher values than leaf extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of leaves and rhizomes for the evaluated bacteria ranged from 9000 to 32,000 µg mL-1. For the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), most bacteria showed an MBC over 38,400 µg mL-1 for the rhizome. In conclusion, the bacteria isolated from dog nasal swabs showed a high resistance profile for the antibiotics of the penicillin class. Additionally, the results from the analysis of the aqueous extracts of rhizomes and leaves of A. purpurata showed an antimicrobial effect possibly associated with a high content of total phenolic compounds; these results can create a scope for using these extracts together with conventional antibiotics to control the emergence of antibiotic resistance among microbial species.
Effect of 11CFT and 11C33 inoculants on the chemical and fermentation composition, and aerobic stability of corn silage during the feed out period
Authors:   Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Ribas Tânia Mara Becher , Neumann Mikael ,   Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Horst Egon Henrique ,   Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Cristo Fernando Braga ,   Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Stadler Junior Edelmir Silvio ,   Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Pontarolo Giovanna Bobato ,   Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Sidor Fernando de Souza ,   Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Plodoviski Daniel Corrêa ,   Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Machado Milena Pontarolo ,   Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste
Published: December 2020

The objective was to evaluate the efficiency of two bacterial inoculants, 11CFT and 11C33, with different genera of lactic acid bacteria on the chemical and fermentation composition of the silage, and the temperature and pH behavior of the silage during the feed out period. The experimental design used was randomized blocks, with three treatments: corn silage without inoculant (control); corn silage with 11CFT inoculant (consisting of strains of Lactobacillus buchneri and L. casei); and corn silage with 11C33 inoculant (consisting of strains of L. buchneri, L. plantarum and Enterococcus faecium). The use of both inoculants increased the concentration of lactic acid in the silage (22.42 g kg-1 for control against 36.00 and 33.33 g kg-1 for 11CFT and 11C33, respectively) and reduced aerobic dry matter losses. The silage treated with 11C33 obtained a higher concentration of acetic acid (17.44 g kg-1) and propionic acid (2.08 g kg-1). The 11CFT inoculant provided a lower concentration of ethanol, however, without differing from the silage with 11C33 (0.70 and 1.61 g kg-1, respectively). Even without variations in temperature and pH at silage unloading, the use of the 11C33 inoculant generated a higher concentration of acetic and propionic acid, providing better aerobic stability days after unloading. Both inoculants also improved the in situ ruminal digestibility of corn silage compared to control silage. They provide an increase in the content of lactic and propionic acids, which assist to reduce dry matter losses and ethanol production. There were no variations in temperature and pH at the silo unloading, however, the use of the 11C33 inoculant generated a higher concentration of acetic and propionic acids providing better aerobic stability after exposure to air.
Agronomic Performance of Soybean With Seeds Treated With an Algae Extract Base Biostimulant
Authors: Melo Gabriel Bressiani , Silva Alessandro Guerra da , Perin Adriano , Braz Guilherme Braga Pereira , Andrade Christiano Lima Lobo de
Published: December 2020

The use of biostimulants in the treatment of soybean seeds can provide beneficial effects on the crop due to the synergism between the organic components present in products from natural compounds. Due to the scarcity of results of research on biostimulants in the treatment of soybean seeds, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of doses of a biostimulant in the treatment of seeds, on agronomic characteristics, productivity components and profitability of soybean culture. Therefore, two experiments were carried out in the field in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 harvests, using a randomized block design with six replications and four treatments referring to doses of 0.00; 0.05; 0.10; and 0.15 L 100 kg seeds-1. The agronomic characteristics of soybeans, grain yield and profitability of using the biostimulant were evaluated. From the obtained results, it can be seen that the dose of 0.15 L 100 kg seeds-1 provided greater profitability in both harvests. In addition, doses above 0.12 L 100 kg seed-1 provide higher grain yields and a higher grain mass, in addition to other productivity components.
Satellite-Based Crop Monitoring and Yield Estimation—A Review
Authors: Lungu Olipa N. , Chabala Lydia M. , Shepande Chizumba
Published: December 2020

To sustain food security and crop condition monitoring, yield estimation must improve at local and global scales. The aim of this review was to give a background of satellite-based crop monitoring and crop yield estimation, including the use of crop models. Recently, most advances in remote sensing techniques, aimed at complimenting the traditional crop harvest surveys, have focused on high-production and information-rich areas. However, there is limited research in dynamic landscapes using these techniques at local scales in most Southern African countries. Models such as the Decision Support System Agro-Technology’s (DSSAT) CERES-model, and Agricultural Production Simulator (APSIM) have been used to simulate maize biophysical parameters and yield variability in a changing climate. Despite the successes, there is still need to consider yield prediction using simplified models that decision-makers can use to plan for food support and sales. The application of freely-available satellite data with focus on maize crop as a staple for Southern Africa, highlights some challenges such as heavy reliance on agro-meteorological estimations and regional estimations of crop yield. It also raises questions of predicting across large growing belts without consideration of diverse cropping patterns. Conversely, future opportunities in crop monitoring and yield estimation using remotely sensed-data still shed a light of hope. For instance, employing multi-model configurations or multi-model ensembles is one of the major missing gaps needing consideration by crop modeling research. Other simpler, but versatile opportunities are the use of crop –monitoring applications on smart phones by small holder farmers to provide phenological data to decision makers throughout a growing season.