bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of NGOs in homelessness services in Greece
Authors: Kourachanis Nikos
Published: August 2024

This article attempts to study the role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in homelessness services in Greece. The central argument is that the expansion of NGOs is a specific aspect of the trends in contemporary social policy. The prevalence of the neoliberal welfare state has brought about structural changes, such as the process of the recommodification and ‘NGOisation’ of social policy, the consolidation of individual responsibility and a focus on the management of extreme poverty. Through a review of the scholarly literature and fieldwork on NGOs involved in homelessness services in Athens, it is argued that many of these characteristics are reflected in the Greek case. The focus of NGOs on emergency services for homeless people, the development of a competitive environment, the dependence for their sustainability and practices on the guidelines set by donors, and the fragmentation of labour relations among their employees are some of the outcomes of this neoliberal direction.
The welfare state as a child of the growth economy and a troubled midwife of an eco-social transformation: a commentary on ‘Postgrowth welfare systems: a view from the Nordic context’ by Riya Raphael et al
Authors: Kongshøj Kristian
Published: August 2024

In Raphael et al (2024) the authors discuss very well how encompassing (Nordic) welfare states can both facilitate a transition to sustainable, post-growth societies, yet are also fundamentally challenged by such a transition. However, I emphasise room for better elaboration in terms of: 1. Emphasising the structural challenges induced by ‘the new politics of the welfare state’ rather than ascribing inequality to the privatisation of public services. 2. Better elaboration of the ‘synergy hypothesis’ from other literature on potential intersections between welfare regimes, varieties of capitalism, and sustainability transformations. 3. Discussing the specific economic, monetary and fiscal policies needed to aid societal transformations and abolish the growth dependencies of established welfare states.
Already at the minimum? Narratives of energy-use reduction in Finnish households
Authors: Rinkinen Jenny , Matschoss Kaisa , Kajoskoski Tuija
Published: August 2024

To combat the global problem of unsustainability, absolute reductions in energy use are needed, particularly in the Global North. There is an urgent need for a better understanding of the possible routes for reduction that go beyond abstracted technological solutions or efficiency improvements, as well as a need for a deeper insight into how the potential for reduction is currently framed. We use a citizen survey on perceptions of energy-use reduction as a means of exploring the perceived possibilities for reduction. Four ‘narratives of energy-use reduction’ that circulate among the public are identified: no reduction; price-enabled reduction; technology-enabled reduction; and competence-enabled reduction. We argue that these interlinking narratives are informative in understanding how change is understood amidst the bundle of practices related to energy-use reduction. They highlight the meanings related to energy use and allow us to explore the understandings of how the potential for energy-use reduction is positioned in society, particularly in regard to the notion of minimum consumption. Our findings are useful in providing a more nuanced understanding of the (de)constitution of energy use, and they contribute to identifying possibilities for steering energy use by providing insight into the general understandings of the current levels of energy use.
The Political Economy of Supply Chain Transformation in Asia: From “China Plus One” to De-Sinicization
Authors: Iida Keisuke
Published: August 2024

executive summary: This essay seeks to provide a guidepost for the future of industrial supply chains in East Asia by looking at the “China plus one” model that Japanese multinationals followed in the 2000s and 2010s and assessing the current geoeconomic environment. main argumentIn the 2000s and the 2010s, Japanese firms doing business in China coped with a series of foreign policy crises, including waves of anti-Japanese demonstrations and boycotts of Japanese goods and services in China during diplomatic spats between the two countries. Meanwhile, Japanese direct investments in China continued to be strong. The secret to how Japanese corporations managed to survive these crises lies in what is journalistically called “China plus one”: a diversification strategy to expand their supply chains to neighboring countries in Asia. However, the magnitude of the headwinds against Japanese and other multinationals in China began to qualitatively differ in 2017 during the Trump administration. A series of events led the U.S. during the subsequent Biden administration, as well as other advanced economies, to follow a policy of “de-risking”: a transformation of supply chains to minimize risks and increase economic security. The current trend pitting the U.S. and China against each other, if it persists, may gradually turn China-plus-one strategies into “de-Sinicization.” policy implications• China-plus-one strategies allowed Japanese firms in the 2000s and 2010s to maintain their investments and supply chains in China while also expanding into other markets. • The current economic landscape is more challenging than earlier years of the 21st century in terms of navigating geopolitical tensions and uncertainty, introducing new technologies, and managing China’s economic slowdown. An increasing number of firms will switch from China plus one to de-Sinicization: an outright reduction in their business presence in China. • Chinese corporations are beginning to massively invest in Southeast Asian countries. Hence, the U.S. and Japan must take utmost care to ensure that China will not dominate these Asian countries in the future.
Ending the Debate about the Goal of North Korea’s Nuclear Armament
Authors: Park Hwee-rhak
Published: August 2024

executive summary: This article examines the debate between two schools of thought on why North Korea has developed and maintained a nuclear arsenal, considers the evidence, and argues that North Korea has developed nuclear weapons with ambitions to pursue a hostile reunification with South Korea. main argumentThere has been a continuous debate in South Korea, and in the U.S. as well, between the following two perspectives: that North Korea developed its nuclear weapons (1) for the reunification of the whole of Korea or (2) for the North Korean regime’s safety. South Korea’s North Korea policies have depended on the perspective of each of its successive political leaders. Based on three areas of evidence, however—North Korea’s excessive nuclear buildup, behavior in denuclearization negotiations with the U.S., and, most of all, recent blatant threats to attack and annex South Korea—it is time to conclude that the goal of North Korea’s nuclear armament is not regime safety. South Korea should prepare for worst-case scenarios based upon the premise that North Korea seeks hostile reunification. policy implications• The U.S. should demonstrate its strong resolve and nuclear deterrence capabilities to convince North Korean leaders that its nuclear umbrella over South Korea will not be subject to intimidation. • The U.S. should consider increasing a more tangible nuclear presence around the Korean Peninsula, for example, by consistently and frequently deploying its ballistic missile submarines near South Korea, as it has already started to do. • If the situation worsens and North Korea becomes more assertive, Washington may want to consider the deployment of a few tactical nuclear bombs to Guam to demonstrate its speedy and assured retaliation capability. • Washington should review the suitability, feasibility, and acceptability of its redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea if a North Korean nuclear attack were to become imminent. • The ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command and the United Nations Command should consider stepping up nuclear deterrence and defense actions to dissuade or deny potential provocations by North Korea. • Washington and Seoul may want to discuss how to increase the potential for emergency nuclear armament without violating South Korea’s nonproliferation policies.
Institutional Reforms and Political Context: An Evaluation of the Indonesia Procurement Modernization Project
Authors: Buehler Michael , Greif Adi , Nataatmadja Ronnie , Meijerink Marius , Nichols Austin
Published: August 2024

executive summary: This article assesses the impact of political context on procurement reform outcomes in Indonesia by analyzing the U.S.-Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Procurement Modernization Project from 2013 to 2018 and finds that higher political competition positively influences the adoption of procurement innovations but also correlates with higher perceived corruption. main argumentBy replicating an impact evaluation of the Procurement Modernization Project in Indonesia, we found that political covariates significantly correlate with a subset of key procurement outcomes. The level of political competition within subnational governments influenced the adoption of specific procurement reforms. Concretely, higher political competition was found to positively affect the adoption of procurement innovations such as framework contracting and the use of electronic catalogs. However, higher political competition also correlated with increased levels of perceived corruption. Additionally, the study observed that local bureaucracies led by government heads in their first term were more receptive to implementing procurement management systems. These results underline a complex interplay in Indonesia, and potentially elsewhere, between political competition, leadership tenure, and procurement reform outcomes, suggesting nuanced dynamics in reform effectiveness. policy implications• Consideration of political context . Effective procurement reform requires accounting for the local political environment. Reform strategies should be adaptable to these political dynamics to enhance their uptake and sustainability. • A tailored approach to reform . The variability in reform success based on political competition and leadership term limits indicates the need for a more tailored approach to procurement reform. Strategies might include targeted support for regions with new leadership or high political competition, where the potential for reform adoption appears greater. Similarly, the correlation between political competition and perceived corruption may suggest that procurement reform efforts should be accompanied by robust anti-corruption measures. • Long-term commitment . The mixed outcomes of the Procurement Modernization Project underscore the need for a long-term commitment to institutional reform, with continuous adaptation and learning from the political landscape to achieve sustainable improvements in procurement practices.
Pakistan and the Taliban: A Strategic Asset Turned Strategic Predicament
Authors: Rehman Abdul , Mingjin Wang
Published: August 2024

executive summary: This essay examines the factors behind the deteriorating political and security relations of once strategic partners Pakistan and Afghanistan with the return of the Taliban. main argumentAs part of its policy of creating “strategic depth” in Afghanistan, Pakistan spent decades nurturing the Afghan Taliban as a strategic asset—one that would secure its interests in Afghanistan. Hence, the Taliban’s resumption of power in Kabul in August 2021 was initially perceived as a victory for Pakistan. However, Islamabad’s support for the Taliban has backfired, as hostility between Afghanistan and Pakistan has significantly increased since the Taliban regained the reins of government. Since the re-emergence of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Pakistan’s terrorism problem has resurfaced, the Durand Line issue has once again become an obstacle, and violent clashes along the border have disturbed trade. Pakistan’s strategic asset has turned into a strategic predicament, bringing the two countries almost to the verge of war. policy implications• The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the re-emergence of the Taliban regime in 2021 have resulted in a concerning rise in the presence of terrorist organizations such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), al Qaeda, and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). These groups are a threat to international peace and demand attention from all regional stakeholders. • Both Pakistan and Afghanistan currently face the threat of terrorism. Pakistan is being threatened by the TTP, while Afghanistan is being threatened by ISKP. Kabul and Islamabad would do well to set aside their differences to work together on combating terrorism, their common enemy. • Pakistan and the U.S. were important partners in counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan. Though the U.S. has withdrawn from Afghanistan, it is recommended that it consider ways to continue working with Pakistan to fight terrorism and support stability in the region.
The Black Built Environment of Benevolence in New York’s Tenderloin District: Comparative Architectural Approaches to Race, Reform, and Discipline, 1865–1910
Authors: Larson Jessica
Published: August 2024

abstract: In 1901, a police precinct in Manhattan’s Tenderloin District leveraged the eviction of their neighbor, the New York Colored Mission, and had the institution’s building seized via eminent domain. The Colored Mission, founded by White Quakers in 1871, was purpose-built to serve the city’s growing Black population at a moment when nearly every charitable institution in Manhattan excluded the non-White from aid. This eviction was part of a long and increasingly aggressive pattern of intimidation directed by the police toward the neighborhood’s Black residents. However, the Colored Mission was not the only institution of its kind in the neighborhood. Just several lots to its east was the St. Philip’s Parish House, a mission founded and built in 1895 by one of the most prominent Black congregations in the city. St. Philip’s Parish House was roughly triple the size of the Colored Mission and signified the development of a coordinated Black-led effort to direct charity’s response to Black poverty. This article examines and compares the architectural strategies employed by each mission and considers how the social services included in the institutions’ differing designs facilitated differing approaches to racial progress. Further, this article positions and contextualizes the institutions within a complex landscape of segregation, racial violence, and urban development.
The Material World of Capitalism
Authors: Wennerlind Carl
Published: August 2024

Abstract: To grasp the enormity of change that capitalism ushered in, it is necessary to focus not only on economic institutions but on the systematic human conquest of nature over the last four centuries. The twin pursuits of territorial colonialism and operationalization of natural knowledge go a long way toward explaining both humanity's ability to turn nature into economic wealth and its devastating impact on earth systems and climate stability. While the dominant tradition of political economy (Locke, Hume, and Smith) from the seventeenth century onward focused mostly on private property and labor as the key components of wealth formation, for much of the Enlightenment era a rival tradition emphasized knowledge of nature's inner workings as the quintessence of wealth. Writers from Bacon to Linnaeus articulated a vision of improvement centered on the control of matter and energy that would profoundly shape the evolution of capitalism to this very day.
Policing the "Reserve" Wage: The Spatial Control of Unemployment, Carceral Labor Discipline, and Colonial Profitability in Depression-Era Kenya
Authors: Jenner Jonathan Donald
Published: August 2024

Abstract: Colonial police arrested tens of thousands of Kenyans in the 1930s for minor offenses—a dramatic increase from the 1920s—as the state sought to stabilize profitability for European capital. For the first time in a colony of perennial labor shortages, the Great Depression brought persistent unemployment. This pushed down wages and buttressed capital's flailing profitability. Yet unemployed young African men threatened Kenya's white society, from fears of petty crime and political organizing to delegitimizing imperial propaganda's central claim of "industrious uplift." Seeking to insulate white society from its threats, the state spatially controlled unemployment through arrest of these men in the White Highlands—usually on thin premises—followed by their repatriation to the Native Reserves. To simultaneously preserve the benefits of unemployment to colonial capital, the emergent apparatus kept the unemployed attached to the labor force through labor recruiting, carceral throughput, and fallback position calibration. Thus, low wages and recovering international demand meant that colonial capitalists claimed an increasing share of a growing product. State intervention in Kenya buoyed colonial capitalism through the Depression by further squeezing, harassing, and immiserating workers. This contrast with Depression-era intervention in capitalist core countries frames a distinct reading of the Keynesian turn from the disarticulated colonial periphery.
Narration to End an Emergency: The Federal Reserve's Report on the Failure of Silicon Valley Bank
Authors: Fink Pierre-Christian
Published: August 2024

Abstract: In the financial crisis of 2023, information traveled with unprecedented speed and ease between organizations' frontstage and backstage. Barely had Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) failed on the morning of March 10 when journalists disclosed information about the decisions leading to its bankruptcy. After finding itself initially outmaneuvered, the Federal Reserve adopted a new strategy: on April 28, it released a report detailing the decisions of SVB's managers and its regulators over the preceding four years. The 118-page narrative was accompanied by 379 pages of documents, including confidential supervisory information of the type that the Fed usually guards closely. This article reads the Fed's report through the historiographic framework developed by Hayden White, analyzing the authors' use of data, concepts, and emplotment. It argues that, while the report had significant weaknesses if measured by the standards of financial history, it succeeded as an intervention in public discourse. In the longer term, however, the Fed's new narrative strategy may increase the pressure on financial regulators. The authorized publication of confidential supervisory information lowered the threshold for potential leakers, and the Fed's opening of its backstage contributed to public perceptions that any secrecy among financial elites is suspect.
The Affordances of the Acousmatic: Questioning Argentineness in El futuro perfecto
Authors: Carter Sam
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT: This article argues that the extensive use of acousmatic voices in El futuro perfecto ( The Future Perfect , Nele Wohlatz, 2016), which portrays a young Chinese woman beginning to learn Spanish after immigrating to Buenos Aires, allows the film to participate in the important process of undoing essentializations that link sound and race, as well as race and nationality. By making acousmatic nearly all the characters identified as Argentine, the film refuses to reproduce long-standing ideas about race in Argentina and ultimately interrogates audiences, questioning their assumptions about what kinds of bodies can produce a supposedly Argentine voice.
Vicissitudes of the Underworld: Spatiality and Political Discourse in Hong Kong Gangster Films
Authors: Chin-Pang Lei
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT: As an essential genre of Hong Kong cinema, gangster films embody an implicit layer of political discourse. Focusing on spatiality, this article traces the transformation of this genre in the past decades and explores how gangster films construct political discourses of Hong Kong. Several representative gangster films made in the first two decades of the twenty-first century are discussed: the Infernal Affairs trilogy (2002, 2003, 2003), the Election series (2005, 2006), and Trivisa (2016). These films employ various spatial and narrative elements to convey political messages, capture collective emotions, and portray the vicissitudes of the city.
Festival Diplomacy: CINE, American Nontheatrical Cinema, and the Film Festival Network
Authors: Walters Elizabeth
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT: This article constructs an organizational history of the Council on International Nontheatrical Events (CINE), founded in 1957 to curate American nontheatrical cinema for international film festivals. Using the organization’s founding archives, the article emphasizes the vast yet largely unconsidered network of film festivals devoted to nontheatrical cinema in the Cold War era and underscores their political and diplomatic function as sites of cultural diplomacy. The article joins the body of scholarly work that examines the geopolitical roots of film festivals as institutions and highlights their importance to the American government and the nontheatrical film sector.
A Review of Anthropological Adaptations of Humans Living in Extreme Conditions and Health Implications
Authors: Nisipeanu Brad N. , Lalonde Robert
Published: August 2024

abstract: Understanding gene variations in people living under extreme conditions has the potential of curing diseases caused by exposure to heat, cold, fatty diets, hypoxia, and pathogens. One candidate gene associated with heat resistance is ACE1 , encoding angiotensin-converting enzyme 1. Associations have also been made between cold resistance or fatty diets and polymorphisms of several genes, including ACTN3 , encoding alpha-actinin-3, and CPTIA , encoding carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A. A prominent role in resistance to hypoxia has been recognized for polymorphisms of EPAS1 , encoding endothelial PAS domain protein 1, and EGLN1 , encoding Egl-9 family hypoxia inducible factor 1. Variants conferring human resistance to pathogens include HBB , encoding hemoglobin subunit beta, and ACE2 , encoding angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. Genetic knowledge concerning such diseases as malaria and conditions such as hypoxia should continue to promote advances in gene therapy.
Sputtered Aluminum Nitride Waveguides for the Telecommunication Spectrum with less than 0.16 dB/cm loss
Authors: Lemme Max , Singh Radhakant , Raghuwanshi Mohit , Sundarapandian Balasubramanian , Thomas Rijil , Kirste Lutz , Suckow Stephan
Published: August 2024

Abstract: We report the fabrication and characterization of photonic waveguides from sputtered aluminum nitride (AlN). The AlN films were deposited on 6” silicon substrates with a 3 µm buried silicon oxide layer using reactive DC magnetron sputtering at a temperature of 700°C. The resulting uncladded polycrystalline waveguides exhibit propagation losses of 0.137 ± 0.005 dB/cm at wavelengths of 1310 nm and 0.154 ± 0.008 dB/cm at a wavelength of 1550 nm in the TE polarization. These results are the best reported for sputtered AlN waveguides in the C-band and the first report in the O-band. These performances are comparable to those of the best-reported AlN waveguides, which are epitaxially grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on sapphire substrates. Our findings highlight the potential of sputtered AlN for photonic platforms working in the telecom spectrum.
Al-Jazeera’s All the Prime Minister’s Men: How a hybrid regime deals with investigative journalism
Authors: Rahman Shafiqur , Arman Zahedur Rahman , Haq Fahmidul
Published: August 2024

We analysed the responses of the Bangladesh government and media over the airing of an Al-Jazeera investigation that alleged corruption charges against the then army chief of the country. The report was damaging for the regime as it implied that the country’s prime minister knew about it and apparently rewarded the general by appointing him army chief because he helped her quell political protest when the general was the chief of the country’s paramilitary force. We used multiple analytical frameworks including Schedler’s concept of informational uncertainty () to analyse how the Bangladesh government operated within the country’s media system to shape the narrative in its favour and manage the scandal. Like other contemporary hybrid regimes, the Bangladesh regime, with help from the country’s divided and compromised media system, squashed the effect of the report by employing tactics such as denying the allegations, attacking the credibility of Al-Jazeera, trivializing the report and creating doubts about the investigation. Understanding these tactics can inform policy-makers and media watchdogs about the vulnerabilities in hybrid media systems, emphasizing the need for robust mechanisms to uphold journalistic integrity and hold the power accountable.
How to praxis after the end of the world with more than so-called humans?
Authors: Vargas Elia
Published: August 2024

This article is a meditation on the relations between praxis, art and posthumanism. Particularly, it is an attempt at a kind of practice of meaning-making that entangles multiple theoretical fields with my own critical creative practice. The article utilizes the feminist methodology of diffraction to read multiple frameworks through each other without privileging one over the other. It explores a speculative potential in relation to meaning-making and utilizes three specific examples of my artworks that examine what it means to practise concepts that perform change. These artworks – and the theoretical orientations I argue for – take a posthumanist view of media, crude oil, water and sheep. I call this work ‘Heliotechnics/Heliotechniques’: solar practices. These include my recent work Carbon Loops (2022), a dual 16-mm projection installation of crude oil film loops that were soaked in crude oil for one month; and a revisiting of the experimental videos Signal Works (2017) and grass wool signal scan (2016). I build a kind of relation to posthumanist practices through the feminist philosopher River (Karen) Barad. While I emphasize the artworks, it is the kinds of non-representational practices and concepts that I explore in this meditation. My goal is to think through words and doings to enact concepts that perform change.
Renascimento assombrado pela simestria e perfeição:
Authors: Pereira Johnnie Richard , Maciel Antônio Marcelo Martins
Published: August 2024

Tudo é possível! É assim que Alexander Koyré procura sintetizar o conturbado, caótico e irregular período da renascença. Período em que o ocidente precisou se redescobrir. Há, neste cenário,  uma curiosa oposição entre contemplação e técnica, ciência e misticismo, liberdade e censura. O processo de ruptura com o passado parece acontecer em um cenário assombrado por velhos fantasmas. Embora existisse uma certa insatisfação com o modelo aristotélico-ptolomaico, ele ainda era a base da astronomia renascentista, sendo que seus defensores procuravam propor alternativas que preservassem o modelo aristotélico-ptolomaico. Neste aspecto, muitos foram os ajustes feitos, contudo tanto a mecânica aristotélica quanto o modelo de cosmo ptolomaico começavam a despertar dúvidas e questionamentos. É nesse cenário sociocultural, político e científico que pretendemos investigar a importância do modelo copernicano de cosmo. Um modelo que vislumbra novas possibilidades de interpretar o cosmo, trazendo neste movimento de ruptura todo um arcabouço sociocultural circunscrito no período do renascimento. Portanto, investigamos como o desenvolvimento da ciência se dá neste meio, entre a ânsia de reinterpretar o cosmo e as amarras do passado.
Ensino não formal, informal e divulgação da Astronomia:
Authors: Moura Saldanha Thaiana Magna , Tavares de Oliveira Leonardo , Martins de Paiva Fernando , Gomes Menezes da Silva Francisco , Almeida Batista Larissa
Published: August 2024

Este artigo tem por objetivo delinear ações de ensino e divulgação da astronomia, mediadas pelo Grupo de Estudos em Astronomia Zênite (GEAZ), para a comunidade acadêmica e não acadêmica da região Centro-Sul do Ceará, nos diferentes espaços de ensino. Apresenta um relato de experiência da atuação do grupo em contextos de ensino não formal, informal e divulgação da astronomia, mostrando, quantitativamente, a relevância destas atividades para as instituições da região. Destaca-se também a importância de discussões em torno dos conhecimentos dos participantes sobre essa antiga ciência. Dispondo de um planetário itinerante, telescópio e de realizações de palestras e oficinas, o grupo promove ações mediante agendamentos, junto ao professor coordenador. As intervenções são desenvolvidas na Faculdade de Educação, Ciências e Letras de Iguatu, nas instituições solicitantes e em eventos nos diversos espaços de ensino. No período de três anos, aproximadamente 7.000 pessoas participaram das ações, sendo a maioria deste público oriundo de instituições públicas. Ao longo das visitas, foi possível dirimir várias dúvidas dos participantes, expor conteúdos de forma diferenciada e notar que as atividades mais entusiasmantes para o público ocorreram com o planetário itinerante e telescópio
Erros conceituais de Astronomia em livros didáticos de Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias - PNLD 2021
Authors: Sobreira Paulo Henrique Azevedo , Machado Ribeiro José Pedro
Published: August 2024

Foram analisados os tipos de erros conceituais de Astronomia presentes em sete coleções de livros didáticos da área de Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias do Ensino Médio, aprovadas no PNLD 2021. A metodologia utilizada para a coleta de dados foi a Abordagem Qualitativa de Pesquisa em Educação e a técnica empregada foi a Análise de Conteúdo. Estabeleceram-se seis categorias prévias e cinquenta não previstas para os conceitos de Astronomia e índices quantitativos com tolerância de 10,0% para conceitos, páginas, índice final e nota, tal como determina o Edital nº 3/2019 do PNLD 2021. Tendo em vista que, de acordo com a legislação vigente no Brasil, os livros didáticos, para serem aprovados nos editais do Programa Nacional do Livro e do Material Didático, não podem apresentar erros conceituais, e que todas as coleções de Ciências da Natureza e suas Tecnologias aprovadas no PNLD 2021continham um total de noventa e três erros conceituais em textos e em ilustrações de Astronomia, estas foram reprovadas por este estudo. Outros seis livros didáticos de Projetos Integradores que continham temas de Astronomia e que, por esta razão, também foram analisados, não apresentaram erros conceituais e foram, portanto, aprovados na avaliação realizada por esta pesquisa.
Adaptive Strategies of Pesantren in Java During COVID-19: Insights into Educational Resilience and Crisis Management
Authors: Sabarudin Sabarudin , Mubin Muhammad Nurul , Asror Ahmad Maulana , Nurcendani Riska Wahyu
Published: August 2024

Purpose – This study investigates the adaptive strategies employed by pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in Java, Indonesia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to understand how these institutions maintained educational standards amidst the crisis, providing insights that could benefit similar educational systems worldwide.
Design/methods/approach – A qualitative multi-case study design was used, focusing on three pesantren: Pesantren Ibnul Qoyyim Yogyakarta, Pesantren Zhilalul Qur'an Jepara, and Pesantren Putri Al-Mawaddah Ponorogo. Data collection methods included direct observations, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. Participants included heads, administrators, and teachers from each pesantren. Data were analyzed using interactive techniques involving open coding, axial coding, and comparative analysis to identify key themes.
Findings – The study revealed distinct adaptive strategies across the pesantren: 1) Pesantren Ibnul Qoyyim adopted remote learning via Zoom and implemented stringent health protocols upon students' gradual return. 2) Pesantren Zhilalul Qur'an focused on online Quran memorization and established a dedicated clinic for health monitoring. 3) Pesantren Putri Al-Mawaddah limited external interactions and used a rotating teacher system to maintain educational delivery.
Research implications – The findings highlight the resilience and adaptability of pesantren in crises, offering a model for other educational institutions. The study underscores the importance of innovation, flexibility, and cross-sector collaboration in managing educational continuity during global crises. These insights can inform policymakers and educational stakeholders in developing robust crisis management strategies.
Peningkatan hasil belajar matematika siswa dengan strategi “pasangan belajar bersama”
Authors: Rohmad Ali , Kuswidi Iwan
Published: August 2024

Student proficiency in mathematics, as reflected in learning outcomes, remains a challenge that requires solutions. This study aimed to improve students' mathematics learning outcomes through the application of the "Collaborative Learning Pairs" strategy. The research method employed was Classroom Action Research (CAR), which included cycles of planning, action, observation, and reflection to evaluate the effectiveness of the applied strategy. The "Collaborative Learning Pairs" strategy was an adaptation of the cooperative learning model Think-Pair-Share, which formed learning pairs based on students' abilities, proximity of their homes, gender, and familiarity with each other. The data for this study were students' learning outcomes on flat and solid geometry topics. The research subjects were 28 seventh-grade students from SMP Negeri 4 Geyer Grobogan during the even semester of the 2022/2023 academic year. Data were collected through tests and observations. The data analysis included descriptive statistics, followed by a comparison with the research success criteria. The findings indicated that the strategy involved stages of student pairing, planning classroom and home activities, implementation, and evaluation. The data analysis results showed that before the strategy implementation (Pre-Cycle), the average mathematics score was 70.5, with only 28.57% of students achieving mastery with a Minimum Passing Criteria (KKM) of 80. In Cycle 1, after applying the strategy, the average score increased to 82.39, with 64.28% of students achieving mastery. In Cycle 2, the average score further increased to 85.32, with 78.57% of students achieving mastery. The results demonstrated that the "Collaborative Learning Pairs" strategy effectively improved students' mathematics learning outcomes. The significant increase in both average scores and the percentage of students achieving mastery from the Pre-Cycle to Cycle 2 indicated that this strategy was a viable solution for addressing the challenges in students' mathematics proficiency
Eco-designing of nano-materials to enhance crop productivity and improve soil remediation
Authors: Patil Pranav Anil , Gupta Rajeev Kumar , Sreethu S , Shaifali
Published: August 2024

The advent of climate change has presented unprecedented challenges to global agricultural systems. Advanced nano-engineering is a valuable tool for promoting sustainability and enhancing crop productivity to ensure food security. Nanotechnology, in particular, is a technology that can be beneficial for crop production. It can minimize losses in resources, improve the targeted and controlled delivery of fertilizers or agrochemicals based on specific needs, prolong the effectiveness of agrochemicals, and reduce recommended dosages and associated losses to boost agricultural productivity. Additionally, nanotechnology's unique characteristics of high reactivity, selectivity, and versatility make it highly promising for addressing complex issues and developing innovative approaches for soil remediation. Nano-particles enhance growth, expedite crop maturation, and enhance a plant's resilience to stress, becoming valuable instruments in regions susceptible to drought and flooding. In addition, they possess the ability to eliminate toxic contaminants, specifically heavy metals and pesticide residues. Nano-particles have a reduced long-term impact on the environment, humans, and plants compared to normal agrochemicals. This review will be highly valuable for future researchers as they strive to understand and harness the potential of nano-materials for enhancing food security and promoting sustainable agriculture.
The impact of heavy metals on the physiological responses in Chaemocostus cuspidatus
Authors: Versha Dixit , Manjunath B.T
Published: August 2024

Chamaecostus cuspidatus (insulin plant) is a medicinally important plant used in several medicines and as dietary supplements. Leaves of this plant have been used to treat diabetes since ancient times. Photosynthesis is a crucial aspect of plant physiology, ultimately affecting plant growth and metabolite production. In the current study, the plant was grown in controlled polyhouse conditions and treated with three heavy metals (Pb, Cr, and Cu). Five different concentrations (Pb and Cr- 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 ppm and for Cu- 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 ppm) of each metal were used for the treatment. Non-destructive methods were used for the study of physiological aspects of plants. CI-340 Handheld Photosynthesis System and CI-710s SpectraVue Leaf Spectrometer were used to measure approx 10 different parameters. Photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) was highest in Cu 100 (52.733 ± 0.466) treated plants. The highest Net photosynthetic rate (Pn) values were observed in Cr 200 (38.65 ± 0.384). The transpiration rate (E) was found to be highest in Cu 125 (0.846 ± 0.0202). Total chlorophyll content (CPHLT) and Chlorophyll Content Index (CCI) were also measured, and it was found to be highest in Cu 75 (30.344 ± 0.262) and Pb 150 (11.979 ± 0.231), respectively. Water Band Index (WBI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Anthocyanin Reflectance Index 2 (ARI 2), and Carotenoid Reflectance Index 2 (CRI 2) were also measured and analyzed for all the treatment groups along with control for each set. Statistical analysis represents significant differences among all the treated and control plants. These indices represent plant physiology, growth, and vegetative health of plants. Further biochemical and metabolite level studies can be done to further understand the effect of heavy metals on plant growth and metabolite production.
Altered physiological response in drought stressed rice plants upon root colonization with the beneficial endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica under field conditions
Authors: Mani Koya Madhuri , Ameena M , Anith K N , Pratheesh P Gopinath , Adarsh S , Shifina Shanavas
Published: August 2024

We studied the physiological and biochemical responses of rice plants colonized by the root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica under varying moisture stress levels that consisted of ideal (non-stress), mild, moderate, severe, very severe, and extremely severe stress imposed by altering depth of irrigation and frequency in a summer field crop. Colonization by P. indica exhibited distinctive drought defensive effects characterized by the enhanced production of proline, which contributed to improved plant resilience to drought stress, alleviating the harmful oxidative stress. In colonized plants that were under extremely severe stress, proline levels in leaf tissues rose by 18% during panicle initiation (PI) and by 21% during the flowering stage, compared to the uninoculated plants. P. indica colonization also enhanced the relative leaf water content and cell membrane stability in plants. Under extremely severe stress, colonized plants displayed improved cell membrane stability (57% and 48%) at PI and flowering, representing 29% and 8% improvement, respectively, over the non-colonized plants under stress. Endophyte colonized plants demonstrated increased resistance to drought stress with enhanced chlorophyll stability when compared to stressed plants that were not colonized. Fungal colonization also enhanced the growth and resilience of rice plants under drought, resulting in a remarkable 37% increase in grain yield compared to non-colonized plants.
Future Focus is Surprisingly Linked with Prioritizing Work–Life Balance over Long-Term Savings
Authors: Lahav Eyal , Barokas Guy , Shavit Tal
Published: August 2024

The classic economic prediction is that long-term savings become more important as individuals become more future oriented. However, we expect future-oriented individuals to be more concerned with the long-term effects of work-life imbalance, leading us to hypothesize a positive correlation between future orientation and a choice of present work-life balance over work related long-term savings. In an online survey with open-university students, we confirmed our hypothesis. Important policy implications are discussed. The findings highlight a potential shift in priorities post-COVID-19, with significant implications for policies aimed at enhancing retirement savings. They suggest that promoting WLB can lead to a decrease in long-term savings, indicating a need for balanced policy measures that consider both well-being and future financial security.
Exploration of eco-benign antifoulant in combating seafood-associated biofilms: an in-vitro study on impacts of myrobalan mediated FeNPs against biofilming SS-316 metal coupon
Authors: M Lavanya , S Nivetha , N Baskaran , S Vignesh
Published: August 2024

The biofilm-forming pathogens with acquired antibiotic resistance and associated disease outbreaks are increasing worldwide, especially in the seafood industry. This study hypothesised that the bioengineered iron nanoparticles using the myrobalan (Terminalia chebula) extract (M-FeNPs) and its resin coating have an effective antibiofilm properties. 12 seafood waste-based biofilm-forming strains (SSS) were isolated from SS-316 metal coupon and screened for their antibiotic-resistant profile as per CLSI (2016) standards. M-FeNPs were characterised by UV, FTIR, etc. Over 50 % of SSS were resistant to Ciprofloxacin, Cefalexin and Penicillin-G. The antibiofilm activity of the M-FeNPs showed an excellent inhibition zone (16–24 mm), and the combination of M-FeNPs + Methicillin also showed better activity. in vitro antibiofilm study shows that upon adding M-FeNPs, biofilm formation was reduced from 1.425 g to 0.83 g at the end of the eighth day. The CLSM and SEM images indicated that the M-FeNPs are effective antibiofilm agents against biofilm strains.
Estimation of network treatment effects with non-ignorable missing confounders
Authors: Sun Zhaohan , Zhu Yeying , Dubin Joel A.
Published: August 2024

In causal inference, interference takes place when the intervention on one unit affects the outcome of other units. Most of the previous methods for estimating network causal effects assume that the covariate information is complete, which may lead to biased estimates when missingness exists. In this study, we consider the partial and direct interference setting. Specifically, the whole population can be divided into different clusters. Within each cluster, the outcome of each unit is dependent on the intervention received by other units, but not dependent on the confounders or outcomes of other units within the same cluster or of those in different clusters. We also assume that the confounders are subject to non-ignorable missingness, and a confounder is considered as missing if any component of it is missing. We propose three consistent estimators for the direct, indirect, total, and overall effect of the intervention on the outcome, and derive the asymptotic results accordingly. A comprehensive study is carried out as well to investigate the finite sample properties of the proposed estimators. We illustrate the proposed methods by analyzing the dataset collected from an acid rain program, which was launched to reduce air pollution in the United States by encouraging the scrubber’s installation on power plants, where the records of some operating characteristics of the power generating facilities are subject to missingness.
The GJB3 correlates with the prognosis, immune cell infiltration, and therapeutic responses in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Dou Ruigang , Liu Rongfeng , Su Peng , Yu Xiaohui , Xu Yanzhao
Published: August 2024

Gap junction protein beta 3 (GJB3) has been reported as a tumor suppressor in most tumors. However, its role in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of GJB3 in the prognosis and tumor microenvironment of LUAD patients. The data used in this study were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus, and imvigor210 cohorts. We found that GJB3 expression was increased in LUAD patients and correlated with LUAD stages. LUAD patients with high GJB3 expression exhibited a worse prognosis. A total of 164 pathways were significantly activated in the GJB3
high group. GJB3 expression was positively associated with nine transcription factors and might be negatively regulated by hsa-miR-6511b-5p. Finally, we found that immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint expression were different between the GJB3
high and GJB3
low groups. In summary. GJB3 demonstrated high expression levels in LUAD patients, and those with elevated GJB3 expression displayed unfavorable prognoses. Additionally, there was a correlation between GJB3 and immune cell infiltration, as well as immune checkpoint expression in LUAD patients
Addressing target loss and actuator saturation in visual servoing of multirotors: A nonrecursive augmented dynamics control approach
Authors: Kamath Archit Krishna , Feroskhan Mir
Published: August 2024

Traditional position and image-based visual servoing techniques often pose challenges in terms of target loss and actuator saturation. These challenges arise due to the requirement of calculating inverse Jacobians to determine robot motions and the susceptibility of these methods to image noise. To address the aforementioned challenges, this article presents a nonrecursive augmented dynamics control (NRADC) that establishes a direct correlation between variations in image pixels and the thrust and torque commands of a multirotor. By incorporating pixel variations into the dynamics of the multirotor, this approach enables the utilization of state constraints to address the issue of target loss. In addition, the correlation between image pixels and control commands allows for the integration of image noise with system uncertainties. Consequently, a single controller can be designed to simultaneously handle both aspects while considering input constraints, effectively addressing the problem of actuator saturation. Notably, unlike conventional control approaches that handle input and state constraints, the proposed NRADC approach is nonrecursive, making it well suited for implementation on systems with limited on-board computational resources, such as multirotors. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through experimental validations, including a performance comparison with a nonrecursive controller from recent literature.
Frontline of Refugee Reception Policy: Warsaw Reception Centers During the 2022 Ukrainian Crisis
Authors: Trochymiak Mateusz Robert , Wróblewska Nina
Published: August 2024

The article explores issues of the Polish refugee reception policy from the perspective of frontline workers: officials, citizen volunteers, and NGO workers at reception centers. It presents conclusions from the research of two Warsaw reception points established by the Voivode of Mazowsze in the beginning of the Ukraine war crisis in 2022. Looking at reception policy from the perspective of frontline workers and examining institutional frameworks (policy goals, regulations and norms) as entry conditions for various actors to collaborate, the article concludes that actions taken by the state authorities in the first weeks of crisis were an example of the responsibilization practices. Insights from the research can be helpful for the Multilevel Governance scholars to better understand the impact of top-down policy on the process of service delivery and problems of collaboration between actors at the local level of policy implementation.