bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Vehicle Identification in Challenging Conditions Through Fine-Grained Classification
Authors: Santos Eduardo , Lima Gabriel E. , Laroca Rayson , Nascimento Jr. Eduil , Menotti David
Published: December 2024

Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR)-based Vehicle Identification Systems are vital for modern traffic management and law enforcement, yet they frequently encounter challenges in real-world scenarios, leading to recognition errors. Our ongoing research investigates a novel method to improve ALPR accuracy through the integration of Fine-grained Vehicle Classification (FGVC), with a particular focus on vehicle make identification. By cross-referencing identified vehicle brands with registered data, we aim to enhance the reliability of ALPR-based vehicle identification systems. Nonetheless, initially, our work-in-progress is concentrated on refining FGVC techniques to facilitate their integration with ALPR. We assess four deep learning models for vehicle make classification and explore methods such as selective prediction and a new class reduction approach. Preliminary results from our experiments on a modified Brazilian vehicle dataset indicate that combining these methods significantly boosts vehicle make identification accuracy. This improved classification approach is anticipated to reduce false positives and increase recognition rates under challenging conditions. Future efforts are going to be directed towards integrating these observed enhancements into ALPR-based vehicle identification systems to further improve their performance in real-world applications.
O impacto de transformações de imagens no contexto de abordagens de self-supervised learning utilizando contrastive learning
Authors: Rezende Misael S. de , Barreto Jesimon , Schwartz William R.
Published: December 2024

Esta pesquisa investiga o impacto das transformações de imagens no contexto da aprendizagem auto-supervisionada, especialmente quando combinadas com técnicas de aprendizado contrastivo. Nosso objetivo é avaliar como várias transformações de imagens influenciam a qualidade das representações aprendidas e, consequentemente, o desempenho geral do modelo. Ao focar nas limitações de métodos existentes, incluindo o modelo LEWEL, nosso estudo busca aprofundar a compreensão dos efeitos das transformações de imagens na aprendizagem auto-supervisionada. Através de experimentos no conjunto de dados ImageNet-100, exploramos as implicações das transformações nas representações e sua transferibilidade para classificação linear.
Evaluation of Deep Learning Transfer Techniques for Mangrove Segmentation with Images of the Sentinel-2A
Authors: Albuquerque Amanda Cristina Fraga de , Borges Helyane Bronoski
Published: December 2024

Fine-tuning techniques allow the use of weights from pre-trained networks in other models across different contexts, potentially improving training performance as it generally requires fewer computational resources and less data. Finetuning has become more widespread in the natural domain (RGB) with the availability of pre-trained model weights from the ImageNet database. However, pre-trained models in the same domain are not readily available for the remote sensing domain, such as in mangrove identification. Both nationally and in the state of Paraná, there are few studies employing deep learning for mangrove segmentation. Developing models using deep learning transfer can help establish automated monitoring systems. Thus, this study evaluated fine-tuning techniques for mangrove segmentation in Paraná using the U-Net model with pre-trained encoders in the same domain, remote sensing, and the natural domain. The dataset for training the U-Net was generated using bands from the Sentinel-2A satellite and annotations from the MapBiomas project maps. The fine-tuned networks discussed in this study accurately identified mangroves in Paraná, all achieving accuracies above 95.1% and F-scores greater than 92.6%.
An Analysis of How Hypergraph Spectral Clustering Deals with Higher-order Relationships
Authors: Cunha Ana Carolina Holzmeister , Petronetto Fabiano , Dal Col Alcebiades
Published: December 2024

Spectral clustering has recently been extended to hypergraphs, which are formed by vertices and higher-order relationships between these vertices. In this article, we consider a methodology to qualitatively compare hypergraph spectral clustering against the classical graph spectral clustering. More precisely, we use a graph representation to create a graph from a given hypergraph, thus allowing a comparison between spectral clustering methods. Experiment shows that the hypergraph spectral clustering deals differently with higher-order relationships.
Lung Segmentation in Chest X-ray Images using the Segment Anything Model (SAM)
Authors: Carvalho Gabriel Bellon de , Almeida Jurandy
Published: December 2024

The Segment Anything Model (SAM), introduced by Meta AI in April 2023, represents a cutting-edge tool designed to identify and separate individual objects within images through semantic interpretation. The advanced capabilities of SAM stem from its training on millions of images and masks. Shortly after its release, researchers began evaluating the model’s performance on medical images. With a focus on optimizing work in the healthcare field, this study proposes using SAM to evaluate and analyze X-ray images. To enhance the model’s performance on medical images, a transfer learning approach was employed, specifically through fine-tuning. This adjustment led to a substantial improvement in the evaluation metrics used to assess SAM’s performance compared to the masks provided by the datasets. The results achieved by the model after fine-tuning were satisfactory, demonstrating performance close to that of renowned neural networks for this task, such as U-Net.
A Comparative Study on Synthetic Facial Data Generation Techniques for Face Recognition
Authors: Vidal Pedro , Biesseck Bernardo , Coelho Luiz , Granada Roger , Menotti David
Published: December 2024

Face recognition has become a widely adopted method for user authentication and identification, with applications in various domains such as secure access, law enforcement, and locating missing persons. The success of this technology is largely attributed to deep learning, which leverages large datasets and effective loss functions to achieve highly discriminative features. Despite its advancements, face recognition still faces challenges in areas such as explainability, demographic bias, privacy and robustness against aging, pose variations, illumination changes, occlusions, and expressions. Additionally, the emergence of privacy regulations has led to the discontinuation of several well-established datasets, raising legal, ethical, and privacy concerns. To address these issues, synthetic facial data generation has been proposed as a solution. This technique not only mitigates privacy concerns but also allows for comprehensive experimentation with facial attributes that cause bias, helps alleviate demographic bias, and provides complementary data to enhance models trained with real data. Competitions, such as the FRCSyn and SDFR, have been organized to explore the limitations and potential of face recognition technology trained with synthetic data. This paper compares the effectiveness of established synthetic face datasets with different generation techniques in face recognition tasks. We benchmark the accuracy of seven mainstream datasets, providing a vivid comparison of approaches that are not explicitly contrasted in the literature. Our experiments highlight the diverse techniques used to address the synthetic facial data generation problem and present a comprehensive benchmark of the area. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of various methods in generating synthetic facial data with realistic variations, evidencing the diverse techniques used to deal with the problem.
Identificação de próteses em imagens odontológicas: evitando imagens ionizantes com o uso de informações hiperespectrais
Authors: Inazumi Felipe Hiroshi Kano , Rittner Leticia
Published: December 2024

As imagens hiperespectrais, imagens em múltiplos comprimentos de onda do espectro eletromagnético da luz que vão além do espectro visível, vêm sendo bastante utilizadas para o diagnóstico médico e voltadas principalmente para a classificação de tecidos saudáveis ou malignos, devido a sua capacidade de detectar alterações em alguns marcadores biológicos, como a saturação do oxigênio. Contudo, a segmentação utilizando imagens hiperespectrais, que consiste em agrupar regiões de interesse na imagem, como por exemplo órgãos, tecidos e lesões, ainda é pouco estudada na literatura, apesar do seu grande potencial. Com isso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar se imagens hiperespectrais de reflectância oral e dentária auxiliam na diferenciação entre prótese e enamel (esmalte dentário). Experimentos de segmentação usando um dataset público de imagens orais e dentárias (ODSI-DB) mostraram um melhor desempenho da U-Net treinada com imagens hiperespectrais, quando comparada com uma treinada com imagens RGB. A avaliação qualitativa mostrou também que há um grande número de máscaras de segmentação manual da classe prótese inconsistentes (41%), indicando que possivelmente o desempenho da U-Net é muito melhor do que o Dice medido.
Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis: Die Lafim-Diakonie zeigt, was möglich ist
Authors: Schehle Christian
Published: December 2024

Die Lafim-Diakonie gewann den Deutschen Nachhaltigkeitspreis 2024 in der Kategorie „Unternehmen: Pflege und soziale Dienste“. Der folgende Beitrag protokolliert, wie dem diakonischen Unternehmen dieser Erfolg gelang. Er erzählt von den Anfängen, Fortschritten, Problemen und Lösungsansätzen, nennt Dos and Don‘ts – und gibt einen Ausblick in die Zukunft.
CSRD - Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung in gemeinnützigen Organisationen
Authors: Fehrmann Denis
Published: December 2024

Das Umsetzungsgesetz zur Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) tritt voraussichtlich zum neuen Jahr in Kraft. Hierfür hat sich der Gesetzgeber viel Zeit gelassen, denn die Umsetzungsfrist ist bereits im Juli 2024 verstrichen. Mittlerweile läuft sogar ein Vertragsverletzungsverfahren der EU-Kommission. Wesentliche Änderungen sind im Gesetzgebungsverfahren aufgrund der intendierten 1:1-Umsetzung gleichwohl nicht mehr zu erwarten. Die CSRD wird zu einer Ausweitung des Anwendungsbereichs der Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung wie auch der Berichtspflichten führen und hat auch für den gemeinnützigen Bereich erhebliche Auswirkungen.
Grundlagen - SGB VIII: Kinder- und Jugendhilfe
Authors: Knödler Christoph
Published: December 2024

Diese Arbeitshilfe Grundlagen - SGB VIII: Kinder- und Jugendhilfe enthält den aktuellen Gesetzestext des Achten Buches Sozialgesetzbuch (SGB VIII), der Kostenbeitragsverordnung sowie des Gesetzes zur Kooperation und Information im Kinderschutz (KGG).

Die Einführung gibt einen fundierten Überblick zum Recht der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe:

Grundbegriffe und Grundsätze

Rechte und Ansprüche von Kindern, Jugendlichen, Eltern

Leistungen und Angebote der Jugendhilfeträger

Handlungsbefugnisse und Eingriffsmöglichkeiten bei Kindeswohlgefährdung

Trägerlandschaft, Zuständigkeiten

Kostenbeteiligung, Einkommensberücksichtigung

Zahlreiche Schaubilder veranschaulichen die rechtlichen Zusammenhänge.

Ideal geeignet, um sich in das Rechtsgebiet einzuarbeiten, für Aus- und Fortbildungen sowie zum schnellen Nachschlagen in der Praxis.
Ausländerrecht, Migrations- und Flüchtlingsrecht
Authors:   Walhalla Fachredaktion
Published: December 2024

Das Regelwerk des Zuwanderungsrechts: kompakt – handlich – umfassend

AufenthaltsG, AufenthaltsVO, IntegrationskursVO, IntegrationskurstestVO, DeutschsprachfördererVO, DaueraufenthaltsRL, FreizügigkeitsG/EU, FreizügigkeitsRL, Freizügigkeitsabkommen EGSchweiz, AusländerzentralregisterG mit DurchführungsVO, Visa-WarndateiG

Genfer Konvention, EU-AufnahmeRL, QualifikationsRL, AsylverfahrensRL, Dublin-III-VO, AsylzuständigkeitsbestimmungsVO, AsylG, AnkunftsnachweisVO, FamilienzusammenführungsRL, AsylbewerberleistungsG, FamFG(Auszug)

StaatsangehörigkeitsG, Übereinkommen zur Verminderung der Staatenlosigkeit und Rechtsstellung Heimatloser, BundesvertriebenenG, EinbürgerungstestVO

Schengener Grenzkodex mit Durchführungsübereinkommen, Übertrittsgenehmigung kleiner Grenzverkehr, RückführungsRL

EU-VisumVO, Visum für den längerfristigen Aufenthalt, EU-Visakodex

SGB III (Auszug), BeschäftigungsVO, Abkommen EWG/Türkei (ARB 1/80), BerufsqualifikationsfeststellungsG

Perfekt für Praxis und Fortbildung!

Berücksichtigt sind alle Stufen der neuen Fachkräfteeinwanderung (18.11.2023, 1.3.2024, 1.6.2024) sowie die Änderungen durch das Rückführungsverbesserungsgesetz und das Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Staatsangehörigkeitsrechtsrechts.
Eingruppierung Tarifvertrag Versorgung
Authors: Gamisch Annett , Mohr Thomas
Published: December 2024

Die Eingruppierungsregeln sicher anwenden

Das Praxis-Handbuch widmet sich den Eingruppierungsbestimmungen im Tarifvertrag für Versorgungsbetriebe. Tarifbeschäftigte, Betriebs- und Personalratsmitglieder, Gewerkschaften, Mitarbeiter in Personalabteilungen sowie Unternehmens- und Dienststellenleitungen erhalten einen fundierten Überblick zu den Eingruppierungsgrundlagen, den Tätigkeitsmerkmalen und deren Anforderungen.

Mithilfe von zahlreichen Praxis-Tipps und Beispielen aus der Rechtsprechung gelingt eine tarifkonforme Zuordnung zur richtigen Entgeltgruppe.

Dargestellt werden:

Grundlagen der Eingruppierung nach dem TV-V

Aufbau der Entgeltordnung

Auslegung der Tätigkeitsmerkmale

Ermitteln der korrekten Eingruppierung

Die Arbeit mit tarifkonformen Stellenbeschreibungen
Etiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Infections in ICU-Admitted Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran: A Single Center Study
Authors: Jamalidoust Marzieh , Pouladfar Gholamreza , Eskandari Maryam , Aliabadi Nasrin , Heydari Marandi Nahid , Namayandeh Mandana , Ziyaeyan Mazyar
Published: December 2024

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) caused by a wide range of etiologies represent a significant public health challenge worldwide. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the characteristics of ARI caused by various respiratory pathogens among patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in a referral hospital in Iran during the first four waves of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Methods: A total of 395 patients with ARI were enrolled, all hospitalized in the ICUs of Nemazi Teaching Hospital, affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Shiraz, Iran, over a 13-month period from April 2020 to June 2021. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays were used to detect SARS-CoV-2, influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Mycoplasma, and Chlamydia in nasopharyngeal fluid (NPS) samples. The demographic and clinical data, including underlying diseases, were also considered. Results: Of the 395 patients, 209 (53.7%) were male, and the mean age was 32 ± 27 years. An etiology was detected in 63 (16%) patients, with 53 testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 and 5 each for Chlamydia and Mycoplasma. No RSV or influenza infections were detected. The highest rate of COVID-19 was observed among adults aged 36 to 65 years (5.31%), while the lowest rate was in children under 5 years old (0.3%). Shortness of breath was the most common symptom in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients (P-value ≤ 0.001). Of the total patients, 146 (37%) had at least one underlying disease, with diabetes being the most common (8.1%). Conclusions: The absence of RSV and influenza infections, along with a notable number of Chlamydia and Mycoplasma infections during the first four waves of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, emphasizes the importance of continuous surveillance of the etiologies of ARI during respiratory pandemics. This information is critical for guiding appropriate infection control measures and selecting empirical antibiotic regimens.
Classification of Drug Usage Patterns and Identification of Diseases in the Provision of Drug Types Using the K-Nearest Neighbors Method
Authors: Farizki Rafi , Supriatna Nano , Juliana Christine
Published: December 2024

The increasing complexity of healthcare systems highlights the need for data-driven approaches to optimize drug usage patterns and improve disease management. This study employs the K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithm to analyze correlations between prescribed medications and associated diseases, utilizing a dataset comprising attributes such as patient demographics, drug types, dosages, and treatment frequencies. The results reveal significant trends, including the predominance of "Drug_D" due to its versatility across multiple conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The study also highlights the prevalence of chronic conditions like hypertension and respiratory disorders, underscoring the importance of preventive healthcare and resource allocation. Simplified dosage regimens, predominantly "Once_Daily," were found to enhance patient adherence, aligning with global best practices in chronic disease management. The analysis further emphasizes targeted prescribing practices, with specific drugs strongly correlated to particular diseases, such as "Drug_A" for hypertension and "Drug_B" for respiratory disorders. However, the broad usage of certain medications raises concerns about potential over-reliance, necessitating regular monitoring. These findings demonstrate the value of machine learning in improving healthcare decision-making, enhancing operational efficiency, and supporting evidence-based practices. Future research should expand the dataset to include genetic and lifestyle factors to further refine predictive accuracy and contribute to the advancement of personalized medicine. This study underscores the transformative potential of integrating data mining techniques into healthcare systems to achieve better patient outcomes and more effective resource management.
Роль и значимость SMM для современных организаций
Authors: С.С. Бобоев , А.В. Досугова
Published: December 2024

В статье рассматривается критическая роль маркетинга в социальных сетях (SMM) в современных организациях. Изучая его влияние на узнаваемость бренда, вовлеченность клиентов, экономическую эффективность и количественные показатели в режиме реального времени, исследование подчеркивает необходимость включения SMM в маркетинговые стратегии компаний. Кроме того, в статье представлены практические рекомендации по разработке и реализации эффективных SMM-стратегий, рассмотрены потенциальные проблемы и текущие тенденции. Результаты исследования свидетельствуют о том, что хорошо реализованный план SMM может значительно увеличить охват, вовлеченность и общий маркетинговый успех организации.
Оценка компонентов природной среды на участке недр Желтуктинская площадь
Authors: Е.Н. Киселева , Т.Н. Крамарева
Published: December 2024

Для устойчивого развития современного общества человечество добывает природные ресурсы. В настоящее время из-за возрастающего интереса к разведке и добыче полезных ископаемых растет воздействие на окружающую среду различных участков недр. Перспектива освоения запасов золота Желтуктинской площади в Иркутской области рассматривается давно. Для сохранения равновесия между окружающей средой и антропогенным воздействием при добыче полезных ископаемых необходимо проводить экологический мониторинг. Как правило, его проведение обязательно, а результаты оформляются в отчеты, где оцениваются все возможные риски и возможные воздействия на окружающую среду. На участке недр были проведены наблюдения за фоновыми состояниями гидрохимической среды, поверхностных вод, донных отложений, почвенного покрова. Был произведен мониторинг животного и растительного мира на выделенных площадках. Полученные, в ходе проведенных работ, результаты помогут в дальнейшем продолжить наблюдение за экологическим состоянием Желтуктинской площади и оценивать в дальнейшем воздействие при добыче полезных ископаемых.
ЭПИДУРАЛЬНАЯ ЭЛЕКТРОСТИМУЛЯЦИЯ ПОЯСНИЧНОГО УТОЛЩЕНИЯ СПИННОГО МОЗГА ПРИ РАССТРОЙСТВАХ ХОДЬБЫ ВСЛЕДСТВИЕ РАССЕЯННОГО СКЛЕРОЗА (ИСТОРИЧЕСКИЙ ЭКСКУРС И НАШИ РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ)
Authors: Д.С. Смирнов , Д.Л. Пасхин , С.А. Асртян
Published: December 2024

Цель исследования: оценить эффективность тестовой и постоянной эпидуральной электростимуляции поясничного утолщения спинного мозга или спинальной нейростимуляции (СНС) при различных нарушениях ходьбы в следствие рассеянного склероза РС: спастическом синдроме, нарушении координации и их сочетании. Материалы и методы: проанализированы 34 случая СНС в лечении расстройств ходьбы при РС. Тестовая СНС выполнена в 24 наблюдений, имплантация постоянной системы СНС – в 10. Влияние СНС на расстройства ходьбы оценивались по величине пареза, степени спастического синдрома по шкале Ashworth, шкале ЕDSS, скорость 25-футовой ходьбы, дистанция ходьбы, длительности заболевания, его форме, интервалу между последним обострением и проведением тестовой СНС, частоте электростимуляции. Результаты: Случаи СНС были разделены на 3 группы: с преобладанием атаксии (1 группа, когда отмечалось выраженное преобладание шаткости и неустойчивости при ходьбе, тестовая СНС n = 6, постоянная СНС n= 3), с сочетанием атаксии и спастичности (2 группа, тестовая СНС n = 7, постоянная n=4) и с преобладанием спастического синдрома. (3 группа, тестовая СНС n = 11, постоянная n=3). Положительный эффект тестовой СНС в 1 группе отмечен в 3 наблюдениях (50%), во второй – в 5 (71,42%), в третьей – у 6 (54,54%). Положительный эффект после имплантации постоянной системы СНС выявлен у 7 пациентов (в 1 группе – у 1, во 2 – у 3, в 3 – у 3), временный эффект – у 2, отсутствие эффекта – у 1 пациента. Заключение: предварительные результаты СНС свидетельствуют об эффективности методики в лечении нарушений ходьбы при РС.
КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ КОНЦЕПЦИИ И АКТУАЛЬНОСТЬ ИЗУЧЕНИЯ КОНТРОЛЯ В ПСИХОЛОГИИ
Authors: С.Н. Лукиянова , Л.С. Зызо
Published: December 2024

Статья анализирует феномен контроля, рассматривая причины проявления внешнего контроля, причины подчинения, рассматривает характерные черты зависимых людей и авторитарной личности, анализирует феномен родительского контроля и его влияние на социальную идентичность человека.
The Proper Catholic and Pro-life Response to Life Limiting Anomalies
Authors: McCaffrey Martin J. ,   The National Catholic Bioethics Center
Published: December 2024

While perinatal hospice seems like a compassionate alternative to abortion, there are several pitfalls in the diagnosis of certain conditions considered ‘lethal’ or ‘fatal’ fetal anomalies. Some conditions—including trisomy 13 and 18, severe brain malformations, conditions leading to lung underdevelopment, and absent or severely damaged kidneys—are generally cited as lethal. However, when approached with supportive medical care rather than hospice care, many of these conditions can lead to months, years, and even decades of survival. This calls into question the logic of expectant management rather than genuine medical care in instances of conditions considered lethal.
Relationship between Knowledge Management Resources and Employee Performance in Selected Food Manufacturing Firms in Nairobi, Kenya
Authors: Onjolo Samuel , Onditi Arvinlucy , Koech Caroline
Published: December 2024

Aim: This study aimed at examining the relationship between knowledge management resources and employee performance in selected food manufacturing firms in Nairobi, Kenya.
Methods: The study adopted post-positivism philosophy, employed explanatory research design with stratified proportionate sampling technique and a sample of 384 respondents, using Fishers’ formula, from a target population of 12089 employees from 52 selected food manufacturing firms. A pilot study covering 40 respondents from 10 food manufacturing firms was conducted. For hypothesis testing, a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect primary data and were administered through drop-and-collect later technique. Analyses involved descriptive statistics for percentages, mean and standard deviation as well as inferential statistics for correlation and regression analyses.
Results: Results showed that though relational capital construct mean score met industry threshold, structural and human capital constructs did not. The study findings showed that knowledge resources have positive and significant influence on employee performance (β=0.79, p=0.000), thus, the null hypothesis was rejected.
Conclusion: All the constructs had positive relationship and significant influence on employee performance, depicting that adjustments on resources construct activities would yield desired changes in employee performance with predictability.
Recommendation: The study recommended industry managers to undertake corrective measures to refocus activities driving structural capital and human capital constructs, towards upscaling contribution of knowledge resources on employee performance in the food manufacturing firms.
Effect of Market Culture on the Implementation of Corporate Strategy in Private Chartered Universities in Kenya
Authors: Nderitu Joyce Wanjiku , Waiganjo Esther , Orwa George O
Published: December 2024

Aim: This study aimed to examine the effect of market culture on the implementation of corporate strategy in private chartered universities in Kenya. The study also established the moderating effect of quality management systems on the relationship between market culture and implementation of corporate strategy in private chartered universities in Kenya.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. Both quantitative and qualitative data were used to seek the effect of clan culture on the implementation of corporate strategy. The accessible population included registrars, deans, directors, heads of departments, academic staff, and student leaders. This study used stratified random sampling and the target sample size was 240 participants. A pilot study was conducted with 24 participants to determine the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. Data from questionnaires was organized, coded, analyzed, and converted into quantitative summary reports for analyses using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 software to compute the relationships between dependent and independent variables. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically.
Results: Findings indicate that market culture is a significant positive predictor of corporate strategy implementation in the studied universities (β = 0.719, p < 0.01). It was also found that there was a statistically significant moderating effect of quality management system on the relationship between market culture and implementation of corporate strategy in private chartered universities in Kenya (β = 0.748, p< 0.022).
Conclusion: The findings highlight a positive effect of market culture on the implementation of corporate strategy in private chartered universities in Kenya. Furthermore, the study reveals that quality management systems play a significant moderating role in strengthening this relationship.
Recommendations: University management should facilitate the active participation of student leadership in governance. The study also recommends that leadership in private universities prioritize fostering a market-oriented culture by aligning strategic goals with market trends and emphasizing quality management systems to improve strategy implementation. The Commission for University Education (CUE) should strengthen its support for market-driven strategies and ensure that quality management is integrated into institutional frameworks. Additionally, the Ministry of Education should develop policies that promote a market-focused approach to curriculum design and support universities in adopting systems that enhance quality and strategic execution.
Factors of the spread of corruption in public authorities of Ukraine: analysis and features
Authors: Boholiepova Alina
Published: December 2024

The article examines and highlights in detail the key factors of the existence and spread of corruption in the state authorities of Ukraine. The dynamics of the International Corruption Perception Index were analyzed and it was established that over the past ten years this indicator had a tendency to gradually improve, which was facilitated by the increase in the positive image of the state in the direction of the implementation of anti-corruption reforms at the international level, in particular, the signing of the Association Agreement, the development of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan with the European Union, the European Commission's recommendation to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate for accession. It has been established that one of the main sources of corruption in society and the state is a social crisis, which is accompanied by a high level of contempt for the law, legal nihilism, moral instability, and the phenomenon of corruption in Ukraine is closely interconnected with the political system of the state, the main reasons for this are also determined, among the key factors of which are irresponsibility and insufficient level of its controllability. Among other reasons, the following are highlighted: the presence of many bureaucratic permitting procedures, prohibitions on the implementation of a certain type of activity; lack of proper public control by civil society institutions; lack of a clear division of competence between state structures; weakness of anti-corruption policy, selective approach in the work of anti-corruption bodies and political engagement. It is emphasized that the development of corruption is facilitated by growth, as well as a significant share of the country's shadow economy. According to the results of the conducted research and generalization, six groups of causes and factors of the emergence and development of corruption in the state bodies of the country are distinguished: fundamental or political factors, legal, organizational-economic, informational, social and cultural-historical factors. A list of priority measures to eliminate corruption in state authorities by reforming interrelated systems of public administration and prevention of corruption is proposed
Mid-Pliocene hominin diversity revisited
Authors: HANEGRAEF Hester , LEAKEY Meave G. , LEAKEY Louise N. , SPOOR Fred
Published: December 2024

Geometric morphometric analyses are used to examine the maxillary shape of the Kenyanthropus platyops Leakey, Spoor, Brown, Gathogo, Kiarie, Leakey & McDougall, 2001 holotype KNM-WT 40000 and the Australopithecus deyiremeda Haile-Selassie, Gilbert, Melillo, Ryan, Alene, Deino, Levin, Scott & Saylor, 2015 holotype BRT-VP-3/1, expanding on the work of Spoor et al. (2010, 2016) by using more accurate data and a larger comparative sample. The main objective is to assess whether these two specimens differ from the contemporary taxon Australopithecus afarensis Johanson, White & Coppens, 1978 and more broadly from species of Australopithecus Dart, 1925 and ­Paranthropus Broom, 1938, as well as from each other. Five two-dimensional landmarks recorded on virtual models obtained from computed tomography scans quantify key features of the maxilla used in the differential diagnoses of K. platyops and A. deyiremeda. Principal component analyses were performed to describe shape differences, and the magnitudes of these differences and their statistical significance were assessed using Procrustes and Mahalanobis distances, respectively. The maxillary shapes of both KNM-WT 40000 and BRT-VP-3/1 are significantly different from A. afarensis, the former more so than the latter, and they differ from A. afarensis in dissimilar ways. Where KNM-WT 40000 has a more anterosuperiorly positioned zygomatic process with a longer, more orthognathic, and transversely flat subnasal clivus than A. afarensis, the shape difference of BRT-VP-3/1 is best described as a posterior shift (retraction) of the entire dental arcade. The findings of this study quantitatively support the species status of K. platyops and A. deyiremeda, and corroborate the notion that hominin diversity extended well into the mid-Pliocene of eastern Africa.
Four new free-living marine nematode species (Plectida: Ceramonematidae) and two new species records (Desmodorida: Desmodorinae) from Rangitāhua / Kermadec Islands, Aotearoa / New Zealand
Authors: Leduc Daniel
Published: December 2024

Kermadec Islands is a remote subtropical island arc in the Southwest Pacific Ocean located 800–1000 km northeast of New Zealand’s North Island. Until now, no data was available on the nematode fauna living in the seafloor environments surrounding these islands. A single sample of subtidal coarse sediments from the Raoul Island coast yielded four new ceramonematid species: Ceramonema taikoraha sp. nov., C. taiora sp. nov., Metadasynemoides taihua sp. nov. and Pselionema huakita sp. nov. This new discovery is the first addition to the family since 2008 and brings the total number of valid ceramonematid species globally to 67 species. Dichotomous identification keys are provided for valid species of Ceramonema, Metadasynemoides and Pselionema. The desmodorid species Acanthopharynx dormitata and Desmodora bilacinia, were also recorded from Raoul Island some 1350 km away from their type locality in Wellington Harbour (New Zealand’s North Island). These species may have a relatively widespread distribution but testing this hypothesis will require further morphological comparisons and analyses of molecular sequence data to confirm the status of the Kermadec specimens.
Analisis Hubungan Kemampuan Membaca Al-Qur’an dengan Pemahaman Ilmu Tajwid Mahasiswa PAI UIN Imam Bonjol Padang
Authors: Sya'adah Miftahu , Kustati Martin , Gusmirawati Gusmirawati , Amelia Rezki
Published: December 2024

This study aims to examine the relationship between the ability to read the Qur'an and the understanding of Tajweed among Islamic Religious Education (PAI) students at UIN Imam Bonjol Padang. A good ability to read the Qur'an is expected to show a deep understanding of the science of tajweed, which includes the rules and regulations of reading in accordance with the provisions of the laws of tajweed. This study uses a quantitative approach with a correlational method to analyze the relationship between the two variables with a sample of 20 people from 150 populations by sampling with random sampling. The data were obtained by distributing questionnaires about the ability to read the Qur'an and understanding the science of Tajweed. The correlation analysis technique is used to see if there is a significant relationship between reading ability and understanding of Tajweed. The results showed that there is a significant positive correlation between the ability to read the Qur'an of PAI students of UIN Imam Bonjol Padang and the understanding of Tajweed. Based on the results of test analysis conducted on SPSS 20, the sig Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) of 0.921> 0.05. Thus, in accordance with the basis of decision in the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, it can be concluded that the data are normally distributed. Thus, the assumption or requirement of normality in the regression model is met.
Melihat Peluang Bisnis dan Usaha dengan Critical Thinking Ability oleh Mahasiswa IAIN Takengon
Authors: Harnedi Joni , Sari Rahmahidayati
Published: December 2024

This research is motivated by the importance of critical thinking skills in seeing business and business opportunities, especially for students of sharia economics and sharia banking study programs/departments to support business opportunities and businesses that they are currently running and will be running. This research aims to analyze the ability to see business and business opportunities of Sharia economics and Sharia banking students using critical thinking skills. This research uses descriptive mixing method. Data was collected by randomly distributing Likert scale questionnaires and interview to 50 respondents from Sharia economics and sharia banking study program students. Percentage statistics are used to provide a clear picture of data distribution. Research findings show that the critical thinking possessed by respondents is generally in the sufficient category when looking at business and business opportunities. Respondents have sufficient systematic thinking skills, have sufficient business instincts to start a business, are able to consider various solutions quite well, consider implications and identify problems and potential solutions quite well, but due to limited energy, time and funds, sometimes business what they do is like suspended animation. This research is significant in providing an understanding of the ability of business opportunities by using the critical thinking skills that are requested and required and trained in formal education carried out by students.
Analysis of the relationship between high school teachers 21st century teaching and learning skills
Authors: Zaloğlu Emine , Tabak Sanem
Published: December 2024

In this study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between 21st century teaching and learning skills of high secondary school teachers. In line with this main purpose, firstly, the levels of high education teachers' use of 21st century teacher and learner skills were determined; then it was examined whether the levels of use of these skills differed according to the gender, years of professional seniority and the type of school they worked in. The research was designed according to correlational research design. The participants of the study consisted of a total of 282 high education teachers working in high schools affiliated to the MoNE within the borders of Altınordu district of Ordu province in the 2023-2024 academic year. In the data analysis process, total scores, mean, and standard deviation values were calculated to determine the levels at which high school teachers use 21st-century teaching and learning skills. To identify whether the levels of 21st-century teaching and learning skills vary by gender, years of experience, and type of school where teachers work, independent sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA tests were conducted. According to the results of the study, it was determined that high school teachers used affirmative skills with the highest score, then technopedagogical skills, administrative skills, generative skills and flexible teaching skills with the lowest score among 21st century teaching skills. Among the 21st century learning skills of high school teachers, it was determined that they used cognitive skills with the highest score, then innovativeness skills, collaboration and flexibility skills and autonomous skills with the lowest score. Within the scope of the other sub-problem of the research, there was no significant difference between the gender and professional seniority variables of the teachers and the level of use of 21st century teaching and learning skills of high school teachers.  According to the school type, there was a significant difference between the levels of high education teachers' use of 21st century teaching and learning skills. According to the results obtained within the scope of the problem based on the research, it was concluded that there is a significant positive relationship between the levels of use of 21st century teaching skills and 21st century learning skills of high education teachers.
The effect of python programming language teaching on 7th grade students programming self-efficacy skills
Authors: Doğuş Feryad , Özkan Yasin , Barın Özkan Sibel
Published: December 2024

This study aimed to investigate the impact of teaching the Python programming language on the programming self-efficacy of 7th-grade students. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a one-group pretest-posttest model. The study sample consisted of 10 students enrolled in the 7th grade at a public school located in a rural district of northern Turkey during the spring semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. These students attended a school affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. The study group was selected using the convenience sampling method, a type of purposive sampling. Data for this research was collected using the Programming Self-Efficacy Scale for Secondary School Students, developed by Kukul, Gökçearslan, and Günbatar (2017). The collected data were analyzed using the Jamovi software. To assess the suitability of the data for normal distribution, skewness and kurtosis coefficients, as well as Shapiro-Wilk test values (a normality test), were examined, alongside an inspection of histogram plots. The results indicated that the data were normally distributed with respect to both research questions. For the first research question, a paired sample t-test was conducted to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores. The analysis revealed that Python instruction did not have a significant effect on the programming self-efficacy of the 7th-grade students. Regarding the second research question, the homogeneity of the data was assessed. Levene's test for equality of variances was performed, confirming that the assumption of homogeneity was met. Consequently, independent sample t-tests were conducted to examine the significance of the difference in pre-test and post-test scores based on gender. The results indicated no statistically significant difference in programming self-efficacy scores between male and female students.
Gambaran Pengetahuan Ibu Tentang Perkembangan Anak Prasekolah
Authors: Yesy Yesy
Published: December 2024

Latar belakang: Anak usia prasekolah adalah anak berusia 3 sampai 6 tahun, anak prasekolah juga disebut masa keemasan. Fase keemasan ini adalah puncak perkembangan fisik dan otak pada anak. Masa perkembangan ini menjadi penting dalam stimulus dan pendampingan dari keluarga terutama ibu. Ibu adalah sosok yang berperan penting dalam proses perkembangan anak usia prasekolah. Di tahap ini, para ibu juga harus mengetahui setiap tahap perkembangan anak seperti personal sosial, bahasa, motorik halus dan motorik kasar. Sehingga diperlukan tingkat pengetahuan yang baik yang dimiliki oleh ibu. Pengetahuan adalah hasil dari mengetahui suatu ilmu dan telah dilakukan untuk menentukan objek yang akan diimplementasikan.Tujuan: Penelitian yang dilakukan untuk melihat pengetahuan ibu tentang perkembangan pada anak usia prasekolah.Metode: Jenis penelitian ini menggunakan desain deskriptif dengan pendekatan Cross Sectional. Jumlah sampel 38 ibu yang memiliki anak usia prasekolah. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah kuesioner pengetahuan Ibu tentang perkembangan anak usia prasekolah.Hasil: Hasil penelitian berdasarkan karakteristik responden yaitu pendidikan SMA (16, 42,1%), usia dewasa madya (17, 44,6%), pekerjaan ibu rumah tangga (26, 68,4%) dan pengetahuan didapatkan yang memiliki pengetahuan baik sebanyak (28, 73,7%), cukup (8, 21,2%) dan kurang (2, 5,3%).Kesimpulan: Berdasarkan penelitian tingkat pengetahuan ibu yang memiliki anak usia prasekolah mayoritas memiliki tingkat pengetahuan baik sebanyak 73,7%. Sehingga diharapkan dapat mempertahankan dan meningkatkan pengetahuan para ibu.Kata kunci: anak prasekolah, pengetahuan ibu, perkembangan personal sosial.
THE BIBLICAL MILIEU AND THE SHAPING OF THE DEMOCRATIC CONSCIOUSNESS OF WESTERN CULTURE
Authors: botică aurelian
Published: December 2024

This paper will examine the relationship between religion and democracy in the traditions of the Old Testament. Historically, scholars have argued that „democratic” thinking appeared after 800 B.C.E., in the Greek colonies of Asia Minor and also within the semi-independent cities of the Greek league. Scholars have argued that the fragmented geographical environment of ancient Greece seems to have shaped the independent mindset of its inhabitants. It has been shown that the geographical separation from mother Greece and the economic prosperity that merchants brought to the colonies influenced the attitude of their inhabitants toward philosophy and politics.
Our study will focus mainly on the religion, culture and history of the Hebrew nation, as it is depicted in the Old Testament, or the Hebrew Bible. Our purpose is to show that the unique religious vision of the ancient Hebrews had a significant impact upon the development of the „democratic” consciousness of what later became the civilization of the Western world. To achieve this goal we will trace and analyze the role that biblical religion played as a catalyst in the movement for improving the rights of the disposed and the socially marginal classes of ancient Israel. We will argue that biblical religion shaped the attitude of the worshippers toward authority (political or ecclesial) in such a way that tyranny – though present at all stages of history– was always sanctioned. In the later part of the study we’ll show how this ideology impacted the thinking of Christian authors who had a crucial role in shaping the foundations of Democratic thinking.
Tools for designing complex software systems based on special linguistic constructions and algorithms for their processing
Authors:   Voronezh State Technical University, Voronezh, Russian Federation, Kravets O. , Aksenov I. ,   Vladimir State University named  after Alexander and Nikolay Stoletovs, Vladimir, Russian Federation, Redkin Yu. ,   Admiral Ushakov Maritime State  University, Novorossiysk, Russian Federation, Rahman P. ,   Ufa State Petroleum Technological University,  Ufa, Russian Federation, Mutin D. ,   Moscow State University of Technology “STANKIN”, Moscow, Russian Federation, Geoffroy Amoa ,   Voronezh State Technical University, Voronezh, Russian Federation, Ermolova M. ,   Bauman  Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, Russian Federation
Published: December 2024

The article presents an approach to the design of complex software systems based on special linguistic constructions in the form of Backus-Nour forms and syntactic diagrams. The goal is to create special mathematical and software that would formally describe the components of the designed software system for the study of a complex object, as well as visually form the structure and algorithmic component of the system. As a result, a formal language for describing discrete-continuous objects has been developed, which ensures the unification of the display of static and dynamic objects by introducing a generalized "element" construction; special mathematical software has been created for the formal description of complex systems, allowing to obtain syntactic constructions of minimal complexity due to the orthogonality of linguistic means; algorithms for processing language constructions have been created that take into account the parallelism of the processes of the studied objects and ensure the automated creation of a class system of special software.
Avaliação psicológica em processos seletivos
Authors: Cualhete Guilherme Modelli , Strachman Júlia Domec , Volante Laiz Helena Borges , Kadamoto Lina Emy Tei , Goulart Júnior Edward
Published: December 2024

A prática de avaliação psicológica possui relevância em diversas esferas da atuação profissional em psicologia, com destaque para  sua aplicação em processos de seleção de pessoal em organizações.  A dinâmica de grupo pode compor uma estratégia de avaliação psicológica, mas enfrenta desafios devido à falta de padronização e à complexidade na medição de variáveis. O  artigo tem como objetivo  discorrer  sobre a prática da dinâmica de grupo no contexto de avaliação psicológica para subsidiar processos seletivos em diferentes organizações de trabalho. Propõe também, a título de exemplificação, um modelo de dinâmica de grupo aplicada em avaliações psicológicas nos processos seletivos. Ademais, salienta a importância dos cuidados técnicos e éticos ao longo do processo, tais como o estabelecimento de objetivos claros, a pré-definição dos constructos a serem avaliados e a precisão na avaliação desses. Visou-se ilustrar como ocorre, na prática, a avaliação de competências em processos de seleção utilizando essa técnica.