bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of seed morphology characteristics of Alnus taxa in Iran
Authors: Gholami-Terojeni Tahereh , Sharifnia Fariba , Nejadsattari Taher , Assadi Mostafa , Hamdi Seyed Mohammad Mehdi
Published: March 2021

Alnus Mill. is a problematic genus of Betulaceae, and there are several intrageneric classifications for the genus. Alnus species are widely distributed in the Hyrcanian forest of Iran, and different species with some intraspecific taxonomic ranks including subspecies and varieties have been reported from this country. We evaluate seed micromorphology characteristics of ten taxa using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy in the current study. The data were analyzed using SPSS and MVSP software. Results revealed that qualitative characteristics such as seed shape, surface sculpturing pattern, presence of indumentum, and its type vary among the studied taxa and have diagnostic value. However, seed color was nearly stable among the taxa. Besides, quantitative variables highly differed among the taxa. In the UPGMA tree, Alnus taxa were clustered into three groups, and these groups were supported by PCA and PCO plots. According to the PCA bi-plot, some taxa were characterized by the particular characteristic(s) that was useful for their identification. In some cases taxa clustering was similar to those of previous phylogenetic and morphological studies. Our findings revealed that seed morphology characteristics are a valuable taxonomical tool in identifying most Alnus taxa, except for A. glutinosa subspecies, which have similar seed morphology features in common.
Landslides susceptibility modelling using Multivariate Logistic Regression Model in the Sahla Watershed in Northern Morocco
Authors: El-Fengour Mohammed , El Motaki Hanifa , El Bouzidi Aissa
Published: April 2021

This study aimed to assess landslide susceptibility in the Sahla watershed in northern Morocco. Landslides hazard is the most frequent phenomenon in this part of the state due to its mountainous precarious environment. The abundance of rainfall makes this area suffer mass movements led to a notable adverse impact on the nearby settlements and infrastructures. There were 93 identified landslide scars. Landslide inventories were collected from Google Earth image interpretations. They were prepared out of landslide events in the past, and future landslide occurrence was predicted by correlating landslide predisposing factors. In this paper, landslide inventories are divided into two groups, one for landslide training and the other for validation. The Landslide Susceptibility Map (LSM) is prepared by Logistic Regression (LR) Statistical Method. Lithology, stream density, land use, slope curvature, elevation, topographic wetness index, slope aspect, and slope angle were used as conditioning factors. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) was employed to examine the performance of the model. In the analysis, the LR model results in 96% accuracy in the AUC. The LSM consists of the predicted landslide area. Hence it can be used to reduce the potential hazard linked with the landslides in the Sahla watershed area in Rif Mountains in northern Morocco.
The Effect of Auditorâ€™s Work Stress on Audit Quality of Listed Companies in Indonesia
Authors: Winoto Cliff Oliver , Harindahyani Senny
Published: April 2021

Audit failure practices have been the headlines in the past decade. At the same time, auditing is associated with high stress and over-timed work. However, a concern regarding the importance of audit quality rises nowadays. This research aims to find the effect of auditorâ€™s work stress to audit quality. Additionally, it is intended to find how the presence of certain condition, such as such as initial audit partner engagement, audit firm size, and client litigation risk, impact the effect of auditor work stress to audit quality. This research utilizes data of listed Indonesian companies during 2014 â€“ 2016. The methodology used is multiple linear regression. This research finds that auditorâ€™s work stress affect audit quality significantly and negatively. This finding enhances Interaction Theory, where generally in Indonesian audit profession; the increased job-demand is not balanced by good job-control and social support. However, initial audit partner engagement and big audit firm size can mitigate the effect of such stress. While client litigation risk does not affect the impact of auditorâ€™s work stress to audit quality. This study suggests that public accounting firms pay attention to job demand, low job control, and low social support, which are elements of work stress, to improve audit quality.
Research on Spatial Economic Interactions: A Cooperative Game Theory Approach
Authors:   Economic Research Institute FEB RAS, Dzhurka Natalya ,   Institute of Economics RAS
Published: April 2021

The article is dedicated to describing the capabilities of the cooperative game theory for studying spatial distribution of economic activity. The paper discusses the features of cooperative games the spatial connotation of which drives from the fact that they formalize the conflict between the forces aimed at concentration of economic activity, and the forces aimed at its dispersion (hereinafter ‘the fundamental conflict’). The author proposes a classification of spatial cooperative games based on: 1) the method of specifying the set of players, 2) the type of solution to the fundamental conflict. The players in the models under consideration are the elements of the economic space with either a simple or a complex structure. The elements with a simple structure are economic agents with their objective functions deriving from their rational choices. The elements with a complex structure are aggregates, such as regions, economic areas, or countries. If we consider it possible to describe objective functions for such players, we should use the functions incorporating a great range of decisions made by different economic agents. The article pays special attention to justification of the usage of spatial cooperative games to model interactions between the elements of the economic space with a complex structure. In spatial cooperative games, the fundamental conflict is solved either by creating a spatial projection of economic interactions, and picking the player’s locations or by studying the delocalization of economic interactions and evaluating the coalition productivity of players. The author distinguishes four types of spatial cooperative games and for each class gives an example of a specific application of the game model. Within the given classification, the author studies game models of distribution networks, interregional interactions, service facilities location, spatial growth, and production planning for spatially concentrated firms. The conclusion is that even though spatial cooperative games are used for research on various levels of generalization, they are, first of all, useful as a means of researching the phenomena of economic activity delocalization. Thus, as far as the location theory is concerned, the games act rather as a tool that complements the optimization calculations with evaluations of stability of the obtained solutions to coalitional and migration threats. From the standpoint of the concept of interregional interactions it acts as an independent tool significant for assessing system effects and their distribution between different elements of the economic space. Furthermore, the author suggests that the future of cooperative games as a tool for research on spatial distribution of economic activity is associated with the search for statements that connect the results of analysis of economic space elements with a simple and complex structure
Traditional medicinal plants used by tribal communities in Tonk district, Rajasthan
Authors: Sharma Swati , Chakraborty Dipjyoti
Published: March 2021

Rajasthan is the third largest state of India. About 80% of the population live in the villages. The main tribes of Rajasthan are Bhil, Meena, Garasia, Saharia, Damor and Kathoudi. The study area comprises of Tonk district of Rajasthan, India which has seven divisions Deoli, Malpura, Todaraisingh, Uniara, Peeplu, Tonk and Newai. Survey method was followed covering five villages of each division. The data were collected through direct interviews with local people, priests, local physician and gardeners. A detailed questionnaire was designed and written in Hindi for the baseline study following standardised procedures. The tribal communities use plants and plant products in their day to day life, however there is a gap in knowledge in the younger generation. A total of 147 species belonging to 62 vascular plant families are reported. From these 145 species were reported to be used for medicinal applications, 135 species of which were used to treat more than one disease and remaining 8 species were used to treat only one disease. The most widely used plant part is leaves (95 species) and the, most common mode of application is oral (39.65%). The traditional knowledge about the plants can be used to produce to new products for medicinal use, food and fodder.
Learning to Let Go: Ownership, Rights, Fees, and Permissions of Readers’ Photographs
Authors: Green Daryl
Published: April 2021

This article explores the variance in attitudes towards user photography in UK libraries, archives, and museums. It examines the various interpretations of copyright and rights to reproduce images of items in the public domain deployed by cultural heritage institutions, the cost structures for user photography in the reading room, and the historic reasons for these decisions. Finally, this article explores the impact of the multiplicity of regulations on the researcher and the benefits of a clear and open approach to access and to the new research methods being employed by readers.
Digitizing the Old English Anonymous and Wulfstanian Homilies through theElectronic Corpus of Anonymous Homilies in Old English(ECHOE) Project
Authors: Rudolf Winfried
Published: April 2021

This article first outlines the challenges involved in the editing of Old English anonymous and Wulfstanian homilies before introducing theElectronic Corpus of Anonymous Homilies in Old English(ECHOE) project. This new initiative at the University of Göttingen reverses the traditional collation of texts and instead celebrates the book-historical significance of every individual manuscript version, its textual and palaeographical idiosyncrasies, and its revisional layers up throughc.1200 AD. The project provides new forms of display to expose the complex interversional network of textual representations, and develops a range of digital tools to facilitate the identification and swift comparison of related passages. It includes digital facsimiles, palaeographical and rhetorical version profiles, and the Latin sources for each homily, creating opportunities for unprecedented research on the transmission, composition, variation, and performance of the fluid preaching text.
Das Motiv der Schlaftötung in der antiken Literatur und Ikonographie
Authors: Diemke Justine
Published: April 2021

Killing a sleeping person is a popular motif in world literature and can be found already in theIliad, with the murder of the sleeping Rhesus. The present paper surveys the motif of killing a sleeper in Greek and Roman literature and in iconography, where the dastardliness of the deed is clearly accentuated. The sleeping chamber was hard for outsiders to access, for which reason this method of killing was prioritised by certain groups, such as slaves and women. In the same way, both these groups acted as accomplices by allowing the murderer access to the bedroom. In the military sphere, the nocturnal attack is a topos for the immoral military conduct of barbarians. However, the sudden attack on a sleeping army was used also by the Romans in desperate military situations or as an act of reprisal for strategic purposes. Overall, a moral valuation of this method of violence can be confirmed, based on similar motives.
Progressive periphrases in language contact
Authors: Maraffino Rossella
Published: April 2021

In this paper, I will deal with the diffusion pattern of the progressive periphrases (PROGPER) attested in the minority languages that are present in the areas of Swiss Grisons, Trentino-Alto Adige and Friulian Carnia. I will individualize on the one hand the vectors of diffusion between the standard languages and the minority varieties; on the other hand, I will explain the mechanism of adaptation or re-elaboration of the borrowed structure in the replica language. Finally, I will pinpoint which of this structure replication seems to be the result of an internal development witnessed in the Alpine area.
Artisanal and small-scale mining activities as post-mining land use in abandoned mine sites: a case of Giyani and Musina areas, Limpopo Province of South Africa
Authors: Mhlongo Sphiwe Emmanuel , Akintola George Oluwole
Published: April 2021

South Africa has many artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activities that some are registered and others informal and illegal. This paper presents an overview of ASM operations in the vicinity of abandoned mine sites found in Giyani and Musina areas, Limpopo Provine of South Africa. It looks at the mining processes, environmental problems, and health and safety risks of ASM in the area. It also provideds a discussion of practical ways of dealing with the problems of artisanal and small-scale mining operations in a harmonized way with the rehabilitation of the abandoned mine sites. The exploitation of waste rock dumps for aggregate production in Musina demonstrated that formalized ASM activities can be the best alternative uses of the abandoned mine sites. However, artisanal gold mining around Giyani revealed the health and safety risks and environmental problems of these operations. The artisanal gold mining activities worsened the health and safety and the environmental problems of the abandoned mine sites. Therefore, this paper recommends that the efforts of coming up with strategies to formalize and regulate artisanal mining in South Africa be deepened for these activities to be accepteble as sustainable as post-mining land-uses in abandoned mines.
Jazz and cosmopolitan practice
Authors: Phipps Benjamin
Published: March 2021

Cosmopolitanism has increasingly been used as a concept to analyse and discuss the cultural and musical practice of jazz musicians. As an interpretive wedge for discussing the history of jazz, cosmopolitanism has been associated with the culturally hybrid establishment of jazz. However, definitions and applications of the term 'cosmopolitanism' remain somewhat ambiguous. In this article, building on the scholarship of cosmopolitanism in jazz, anthropology, philosophy and sociology, I use my ethnographic research with Australian musician Lloyd Swanton to identify certain practices and behaviours. I question how we determine whether a jazz musician's practices can be usefully described as cosmopolitan. I then examine the implications of identifying musical and cultural practice as cosmopolitan and the role of this term in identity formation.
Michael Perez and Jessica McKee, eds. Billie Holiday: Essays on the Artistry and Legacy.
Authors: Caplan Lee
Published: March 2021

Michael Perez and Jessica McKee, eds. Billie Holiday: Essays on the Artistry and Legacy. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2019. vi + 169 pp. ISBN 1476674698 (pbk). $39.95.
Katalog kardynałów, patriarchów, arcybiskupów i biskupów obecnych na IV soborze laterańskim w 1215 roku. Jeszcze jedna próba identyfikacji osób
Authors: Wciślak Andrzej
Published: March 2021

Katalog kardynałów, patriarchów, arcybiskupów i biskupów obecnych na IV soborze laterańskim w 1215 roku. Jeszcze jedna próba identyfikacji osób. W roku 1215 miał miejsce sobór laterański IV zwołany przez papieża Innocentego III (1198–1216). Był on niezwykle ważny, bo wytyczono na nim wielkie kierunki kościelnego duszpasterstwa na trzysta następnych lat. Na sobór przybyło ponad 400 biskupów niemal z całej Europy, także z Polski. Byli obecni również przedstawiciele Orientu. Niniejszy artykuł traktuje o uczestnikach tego soboru. Jest kolejną próbą identyfikacji kardynałów, patriarchów, arcybiskupów i biskupów obecnych na Lateranie w 1215 roku. Praca może być przycznkiem do dalszych badań nad historią Kościoła średniowiecznego w Europie i w Polsce.
Comparative studies of medical specialization in Orthodox and Catholic monasteries. Preliminary remarks
Authors: Krainia Olha
Published: March 2021

Comparative studies of medical specialization in Orthodox and Catholic monasteries. Preliminary remarks. The article is dedicated to the problem of the genesis of hospitals and specialization of some Catholic and Orthodox monasteries in the provision of medical care and other charitable activities. The relevance of the topic is dictated by the difficulty in explaining the phenomenon of the Orthodox Trinity Hospital Monastery in Kyiv outside the context of the history of Rus as a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Orthodox monasteries are not characterized by the reflection in their name of the monastery’s implied charitable function. The problems of historiography relating to the monastery as a medical institution are discussed in the article. It focuses how the imperial concept of historical development prevails in post-Soviet countries, also either West European connections or regional features is taken little into account. Despite the meager available source base, posing the question makes it possible to identify promising areas of research, such as a comparison of the charters of Orthodox and Catholic monasteries with regard to the care of patients, dependence of specialized church institutions on public health policy, dynamics of the evolution of hospitals in Catholic and Orthodox monasteries, an architectural and spatial structure of medical units there, monastic view of disease and medical practice, which highlight the issues of the monasteries’ social role and their functioning during epidemics.
Panegyric works and their connection with the Kyiv monasteries in the context of the relations between the Hetmanate and the Moscow kingdom in the early 18th century
Authors: Filipova Hanna
Published: March 2021

Panegyric works and their connection with the Kyiv monasteries in the context of the relations between the Hetmanate and the Moscow kingdom in the early 18th century. The eulogies which are dedicated to Prince Alexander Menshikov and originate from the Kyiv monastery environment – in particular, the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and the Kyiv Brotherhood Monastery are discussed and compared in the article. The circumstances of the origin of these works, the peculiarities and motivation of the dedications, rhetorical figures and their significance in the respective historical and political context have also been analysed. Panegyrics were inscribed in the paradigm of Ukrainian-Russian relations in the early 18th century. A little-known work attributed to Theophanes Prokopovych is also published in the appendices.
Князь-инок Аникита (Ширинский-Шихматов) и его путешествие по святым местам Ближнего Востока
Authors: Шумило Сергей
Published: March 2021

Князь-инок Аникита (Ширинский-Шихматов) и его путешествие по святым местам Ближнего Востока. Статья посвящена паломничеству на Святую Землю иеромонаха Аникиты (князя Ширинского-Шихматова; 1783–1837) и тем путевым заметкам, в которых он подробно описал свое путешествие по Ближнему Востоку. Этот подвижник занимает особое место в истории славянского монашества на Афоне в XIX веке. Выходец из знатного княжеского рода, офицер, духовный писатель, монах и старец, он сыграл важную роль в возрождении Русского Свято-Пантелеимонова монастыря и Свято-Ильинского скита на Святой Горе и по праву считается возобновителем русского монашества на Афоне в начале XIX века. Примечательно, что именно жизнь и служение отца Аникиты послужили одним из прототипов для создания Ф. М. Достоевским собирательного образа „старца Зосимы” в его знаменитом романе Братья Карамазовы. Описания отцом Аникитой путешествия по Ближнему Востоку представляют собой уникальное свидетельство о том, как совершали монахи паломничества на Святую землю в первой половине XIX века, каковы были их быт, традиции, мировоззрение.
Kościół katedralny pw. Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny i Polonia w Charkowie: krótki szkic historyczny (XIX wiek)
Authors: Żwanko Lubow
Published: March 2021

Kościół katedralny pw. Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny i Polonia w Charkowie: krótki szkic historyczny (XIX wiek). Autorka w przedstawionym artykule przybliża krótki zarys historii kościoła katedralnego pw. Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny w Charkowie od czasu jego wzniesienia do chwili jego uroczystego poświęcenia 26 lipca 1892 roku przez biskupa pomocniczego diecezji mohylowskiej Franciszka Albina Simona. Budowa świątyni została ukazana na tle funkcjonowania w Charkowie w XIX wieku społeczności polskiej, która z niewielkiej garstki wiernych zdołała przekształcić się w niezwykle istotną część składową mieszkańców miasta. Ostoją dla działalności Polaków mieszkających w Charkowie był kościół katedralny pw. Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny, który przetrwał do czasów obecnych, i dziś, jako perła architektury sakralnej, zdobi centrum miasta.
Misjonarska działalność polskich dominikanów w Chinach w świetle listów o. Sadoka Maćkowiaka do redakcji „Róży Duchownej” z lat 1937–1939
Authors: Cieślik Adrian
Published: March 2021

Misjonarska działalność polskich dominikanów w Chinach w świetle listów o. Sadoka Maćkowiaka do redakcji „Róży Duchownej” z lat 1937–1939. Dewizą programową członków Zakonu Kaznodziejskiego, czyli dominikanów, są słowa: „głosić wszystkim, wszędzie i na wszystkie sposoby”. Doskonałą okolicznością głoszenia słowa Bożego jest działalność misyjna w krajach dalekich. Taka właśnie idea przyświecała dominikanom z polskiej prowincji, którzy od 1937 roku podjęli pracę duszpasterską w Chinach. Zwłaszcza jeden z nich, o. Sadok Maćkowiak, dzielił się swoimi przeżyciami i refleksjami, przesyłając listy do redakcji „Róży Duchownej” – dominikańskiego periodyku bractw różańcowych, chętnie czytanego w międzywojennej Polsce. Niniejszy artykuł traktuje właśnie o działalności polskich dominikanów w Chinach w świetle tych listów, przechowywanych obecnie w Archiwum Polskiej Prowincji Dominikanów w Krakowie.
Extract Executable Action Sequences from Natural Language Instructions Based on DQN for Medical Service Robots
Authors: Zhao Fengda , Yang Zhikai , Li Xianshan , Guo Dingding , Li Haitao
Published: April 2021

The emergence and popularization of medical robots bring great convenience to doctors in treating patients. The core of medical robots is the interaction and cooperation between doctors and robots, so it is crucial to design a simple and stable human-robots interaction system for medical robots. Language is the most convenient way for people to communicate with each other, so in this paper, a DQN agent based on long-short term memory (LSTM) and attention mechanism is proposed to enable the robots to extract executable action sequences from doctors’ natural language instructions. For this, our agent should be able to complete two related tasks: 1) extracting action names from instructions. 2) extracting action arguments according to the extracted action names. We evaluate our agent on three datasets composed of texts with an average length of 49.95, 209.34, 417.17 words respectively. The results show that our agent can perform better than similar agents. And our agent has a better ability to handle long texts than previous works.
Correction to: Understanding the carbonation of concrete with supplementary cementitious materials: a critical review by RILEM TC 281-CCC
Authors: von Greve-Dierfeld Stefanie , Lothenbach Barbara , Vollpracht Anya , Wu Bei , Huet Bruno , Andrade Carmen , Medina César , Thiel Charlotte , Gruyaert Elke , Vanoutrive Hanne , del Bosque Isabel F. Saéz , Ignjatovic Ivan , Elsen Jan , Provis John L. , Scrivener Karen , Thienel Karl-Christian , Sideris Kosmas , Zajac Maciej , Alderete Natalia , Cizer Özlem , Van den Heede Philip , Hooton Robert Douglas , Kamali-Bernard Siham , Bernal Susan A. , Zhao Zengfeng , Shi Zhenguo , De Belie Nele
Published: April 2021

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-020-01558-w
Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV in the dental setting: Knowledge, attitudes and practices of oral health care workers in eThekwini district, KwaZulu-Natal
Authors: Balwanth Sonam , Singh Shenuka
Published: March 2021

Oral health care workers are frequently at the forefront in recognizing oral manifestations of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and can therefore play a key role in screening and early detection of HIV in dental patients. This study assessed oral health care workers’ knowledge, attitudes and possible practices in Voluntary Counselling and rapid HIV testing (VCT) in the dental workplace in eThekwini district, KwaZulu-Natal so as to determine their understanding and support for these services. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. A total of 120 questionnaires were distributed to oral health workers located in private and public dental settings in eThekwini district. One hundred (n=100) completed questionnaires were retrieved, yielding a response rate of 83%. The majority of participants (82%) reported that HIV testing and counselling did not occur in their workplace. Participants (87%) also indicated to have not been trained to perform HIV testing. Sixty-six participants (66%) reported willingness to implement HIV testing in their respective dental workplace. Less than half of the study population (41%) were “unsure” regarding the accuracy of rapid HIV testing. Participants reported inadequate knowledge and practice of VCT. Participants had positive attitudes towards VCT implementation in the dental setting, provided that adequate training and support was available from the Kwa-Zulu-Natal Department of Health. Rapid HIV testing, dental workplace, oral health care workers.
Orthodontic repositioning of traumatically intruded permanent incisors - A report of three cases
Authors: Singh Harpreet , Mittal Meenu , Sharma Poonam , Kumar Ashok , Kapoor Pranav
Published: March 2021

Intrusive luxation of permanent teeth is one of the most serious traumatic dental injuries involving damage to the gingival tissue, periodontal ligament, cementum, bone and to the neurovascular supply of the pulp. In addition to disruption of normal tooth development and eruption, it can also lead to pulpal necrosis, root resorption and marginal bone loss. Based on the extent/severity, intrusion maybe classified into mild (<3 mm), moderate (3-6mm) and severe (>6mm). Available techniques for managing intrusive luxation include a wait-and-watch approach to allow for spontaneous re-eruption, orthodontic traction and surgical repositioning. The type of treatment approach employed depends upon the stage of root development, severity of intrusive luxation and the presence or absence of alveolar fractures. It is difficult to predict reliable outcomes with these approaches, since the presence of variables such as the severity of intrusion, associated crown/root fracture, stage of root development and presence of alveolar fractures may alter the prognosis. The present article presents a series of three cases with intrusive luxation of permanent incisors successfully treated using an interdisciplinary approach involving orthodontic traction along with endodontic rehabilitation.
A comparison of root canal transportation and centering ability between WaveOne® Gold and Protaper Next® files, using microcomputed tomography
Authors: Gajoum Abdulrzag , Patel Ebrahim , Munshi Ismail E , Tootla Saidah
Published: March 2021

This study compared the transportation and centering ability of ProTaper Next (PTN) and WaveOne Gold (WOG) files in curved permanent teeth using micro-computed tomography (μCT). Twenty-four molar teeth with curved roots were divided randomly into two equal groups. The root canals of one group was prepared using PTN files, and the other using WOG files. Pre-instrumentation and post-instrumentation μCT imaging were taken for all the teeth. The dentine thickness of the pre-and the post-instrumentation cross sections was measured at eight different points at three levels: 3, 5 and 7mm from the apex, by two dentists using image analysis software. The data were analysed using one-way ANOVA, at a 5% significance level. The transportation in both groups was within the range accepted in the literature. The WOG file exhibited significantly less root canal transportation compared with the PTN file (p=0.001). The WOG file showed a significantly (p<0.001) higher mean centering ratio of 0.4286 when compared to that of PTN at 0.2448. Using a novel technique to measure canal transportation, this study found that the WOG and PTN systems were both suitable for preparation of curved molar root canals, but the WOG showed significantly less canal transportation and better centering ability than the PTN system.
Factors influencing apical debris extrusion during endodontic treatment - A review of the literature
Authors: Predin Djuric Natasa , Van der Vyver Peet J , Vorster Martin , Vally Zunaid I
Published: March 2021

The primary cause of a periapical inflammatory lesion is intra-radicular microbial infection. Prevention and elimination of apical periodontitis is achieved through successful endodontic treatment. Endodontic treatment is designed to maintain and restore the health of the periapical tissues and prevent periapical disease. It may be defined as the combination of mechanical instrumentation of the root canal system with bactericidal irrigation and obturation with an inert material. Technically, the goal of instrumentation and irrigation is to debride and entirely remove infected tissue debris from the root canal system and create a uniform conical shape that allows medicament delivery and adequate obturation. Microbiologically, the goal of instrumentation and irrigation is to eliminate micro-organisms, reduce their survival in the root canal system and neutralise any antigenic potential of the microbial components remaining in the canal.
What’s new for the clinician? - Excerpts from and summaries of recently published papers
Authors: Yengopal Veerasamy
Published: March 2021

The effect of pre-anaesthesia with a needle-free system versus topical anaesthesia on injection pain of the inferior alveolar nerve block: a randomized clinical trial - Comparison of two vasoconstrictors on glycemic levels in diabetic patients
Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for oral health professionals (OHPs) - Ethical appraisal
Authors: Mtolo Thembelihle M , Motloba Pagollang D , Wood Neil H
Published: March 2021

The recently detected South African variant, Covid-19, 501Y.V2 is more transmissible, though not virulent as the initial strain.1 The morbidity and mortality rates due to this variant have risen exponentially, putting huge pressure on the healthcare system, locally and globally. As a consequence the South African government imposed hard lockdown measures (level 3) as a means to curb the pandemic. Governments around the world are scrambling to obtain and roll-out Covid-19 vaccination programs to save lives and livelihoods. Most developed countries have initiated inoculations, amid widespread misinformation and hesitancy. Literature indicate that healthcare professionals (HCPs) are generally complacent and hesitant about vaccination. The COVID-19 uptake is likely to be suboptimal among HCPs and the general populations. The voluntary immunization program will commence in February 2021, and the Healthcare professionals will be among the first to be vaccinated. It remains to be seen if this cohort will achieve the desired vaccinations rates. Failure for this influential group to vaccinate could derail the program and lead to failure to achieve herd immunity. In the face of emerging vaccine hesitancy among HCPs, should oral health professionals be compelled to vaccinate? Will any refusal by OHPs to be immunized be morally justified? Oral health professionals in this context of this paper, represent all oral health professionals involved in the management dental patients. No singular ethical framework is held as sufficient to resolve these questions. This paper interrogates aspect of clinical ethics, including the Hippocratic Oath, principilism, public health ethics (Utilitarianism) and Kantian deontology, to tackle the questions raised. We conclude that OHPs have a moral duty to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Using Open-ended Problem-solving Tests to Identify Students’ Mathematical Creative Thinking Ability
Authors: RAHAYUNİNGSİH Sri , SİRAJUDDİN Sirajuddin , IKRAM Muhammad
Published: March 2021

This study aimed to examine an open-ended problem-solving assessment tool that can be used to measure the profile of students’ mathematical creativity based on the type of mathematical creativity. The open-ended problem-solving assessment consists of open-ended problem-solving sheets and interview guidelines to measure the profile of students' mathematical creativity. One hundred and five students were asked to solve open-ended problems. From each group, one student was selected to be interviewed with the aim of obtaining a more detailed explanation of each of these types. The two types can be explained as follows. The “very creative” students were those who could perform cognitive flexibility and cognitive fluency in solving open-ended problems. The other type of students was creative students who were able to think flexibly (cognitive flexibility) when solving open-ended problems. Cognitive flexibility includes the ability to describe various solutions and provide more than one answer to a problem. Cognitive fluency includes the ability to interpret the answer smoothly and accurately without any constraints. It may also refer to the ability to correct a wrong answer even though there was a mistake during the operating process. The analysis results showed that the open-ended problem-solving assessment was an effective tool to measure students' mathematical creativity in terms of results (products) and processes. In terms of results (products), it was able to determine the type of students’ mathematical creative ability, namely very creative and creative, while in terms of processes, it was able to describe the differences in the cognitive profile of the two types.
Examining the Digital Learning Material Preparation Competencies of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers
Authors: ŞİMŞEK Mertkan , YAZICI Nurullah
Published: March 2021

The aim of this research is to examine digital learning materials designed by pre-service mathematics teachers with GeoGebra software through rubrics. This research was conducted using the integrative mixed method design, which allows the use of qualitative and quantitative methods together or sequentially. The study group of the research consists of 46 pre-service teachers studying in elementary mathematics education programme and attending the Computer-Assisted Mathematics Instruction course in a university. The pre-service teachers designed the materials in groups of two (23 participant per group). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six groups determined according to the purposeful sampling selection. The data of this research were obtained using digital learning materials and semi-structured interview form used to interview pre-service teachers. Pre-service teachers were asked to prepare a material that can be used in teaching simple fractions addition with GeoGebra software. In line with the purpose of the study, the Digital Learning Material Evaluation Rubric has been developed by the researchers. When the Digital Learning Material Evaluation Rubric scores of the pre-service teachers who participated in the study were examined, it was found that there were deficiencies in the digital learning material design skills of the pre-service teachers. Pre-service teachers were less successful in terms of teaching appropriateness than structural appropriateness and programming appropriateness aspects of the digital learning materials produced.
Emotional Design of Educational Animations: Effects on Emotion, Learning, Motivation and Interest
Authors: BÜLBÜL Ali Haydar , KUZU Abdullah
Published: March 2021

This study aims to investigate the effect of different formats of emotionally designed educational animations in terms of the emotional worthiness of the material, retention and transfer, intrinsic motivation, subject interest and cognitive load. In this direction, an experimental research approach was adopted. Five emotionally diverged animations were developed for the study, one of which was designed without adding any appealing illustrations. Animations were about the life cycle of low mass stars and was developed by researchers under the supervision of an animation expert. With one control and four treatment groups, experiment was carried out with the participation of 256 students at a state university in Turkey. Data were gathered using Turkish adaptation of Subject Interest Scale, Intrinsic Motivation Scale, one-item Subjective Cognitive Load Scale, and a retention test, a transfer tests and an emotional experience survey which were developed by the researchers. Turkish adaptation process of Subject Interest Scale and Intrinsic Motivation Scale were also conducted by the researchers. Findings showed that two of the animations, both of which included character animations and one of which was enhanced by an introduction music and emotionally complementary sound effects, were emotionally effective. According to the results, emotionally effective animations had positive effects on transfer, intrinsic motivation and subject interest while no effect was found in terms of retention and cognitive load.
Pre-service Elementary Teachers’ Reasoning Types of Generalization and Justification on a Figural Pattern Task
Authors: DOĞAN COŞKUN Sümeyra
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this study is to examine how pre-service elementary teachers generalize a non-linear figural pattern task and justify their generalizations. More specifically, this study focuses on strategies and reasoning types employed by pre-service elementary teachers throughout generalization and justification processes. Data were collected from 32 pre-service elementary teachers who were enrolled in the Elementary Teacher Education program of a university, Turkey. During the data collection process, these pre-service teachers were first asked to generalize a non-linear figural pattern task and were then asked to justify their generalizations. To analyze the pre-service elementary teachers’ written answers for the task considering reasoning types for both generalization and justification, data reduction and constant comparative methodologies were used (Miles, Huberman, & Saldana, 2014). The findings indicated that the pre-service teachers were better able to find a rule for the pattern using the explicit strategy. It was also found that although these pre-service teachers used different types of reasoning which were numerical reasoning, figural reasoning, and pragmatic reasoning, figural reasoning was the most frequent one throughout the generalization process. Reasoning types for justification by the pre-service teachers fell into two categories: inductive and deductive. Most pre-service teachers resorted to inductive reasoning; however, there were a few pre-service teachers who referred to deductive reasoning. In addition, the pre-service teachers who articulated figural reasoning to generalize appeared to be more successful in justifying their developed rules deductively.
Effects of L-dopa on expression of prolactin and synaptotagmin IV in 17-estradiol-induced prolactinomas of ovariectomized hemiparkinsonian rats
Authors: Zorovic Maja , Kolmančič Kaja , Živin Marko
Published: March 2021

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. Dopamine precursor L-dopa is used as the first-line treatment for PD. Evidence suggests neuroprotective effects of estrogens in PD. Since both E2 and L-dopa act as regulators of prolactin secretion from the pituitary gland, we investigated their effect on the expression of prolactin (PRL) in prolactinomas that developed in ovariectomized hemiparkinsonian rats treated with 17b-estradiol (E2). We also investigated the effect of E2 and L-dopa on the expression of synaptotagmin IV (Syt IV), an immediate early gene whose product is abundant in the pituitary gland and was found to be highly co-expressed with PRL in lactotrophs (> 90%). The hemiparkinsonian rat model was obtained by unilateral lesioning of dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons. Rats received silastic tubing implants with E2 and were treated with L-dopa. ELISA and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the serum concentrations of PRL and E2 and expression of PRL and SytIV in the tissue of adenohypophysis, respectively. We found that high levels of serum 17b-estradiol were associated with the upregulation of Syt IV and PRL in PRL-ir cells, while treatment with L-dopa decreased the size of prolactinomas and downregulated Syt IV but had no effect on PRL expression or serum concentrations.
Protocol for Bioinformatics and Network Analysis of Microarray Data from Mixture Cell Type v1
Authors: Maestri Evan , Kuznetsov Vladimir
Published: March 2021

This approach was utilized for microarray-based gene expression profiling of duodenum mucosa in mice to conduct bioinformatics and network analysis. However, it is also applicable to any differential gene expression analysis, including RNA-seq datasets. Furthermore, the general method structure can be applied to other species, including human. For individuals with limited bioinformatics experience, many of the databases and software in this protocol allow simple inputs for gene list queries, allowing easily understandable analysis. This systems biology protocol can enhance transcriptome data analysis aiding in the generation of hypothesis-driven research and generating testable bioinformatics predictions.
Techno-Creativity: The Implementation of DVFx as Creative Support Tools Among Filmmakers in Malaysia, India & Australia
Authors:   Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Hashim Hasrul
Published: April 2021

Previously, the use of digital visual effects (DVFx) only serves merely to fix or modify the damage or harmful elements in the post-production. Still, there are differences between improving the work and the creative effects in work. Subtracting part of the image can often be seen as a form of creativity in generating new image elements. DVFx is also seen as a form of creative effects. It is a fascinating field of study on 'adverse impact' or 'creative impact' in film production. Creative impact in the production process of film is likely to lead to a new assessment on the aspects of 'creativity.' The occurrence of technological changes that involve creative work will undoubtedly lead to a shift in creativity. Technology and creativity or techno-creativity are likely to represent a new creative possibility and measurement in film production using creative software as a support tool. This paper discusses the findings derived from in-depth interviews conducted with filmmakers, visual effects artists and supervisors from Malaysia, India, and Australia on implementing DVFx as creative support tools. The finding shows that DVFx functions as a techno-creative device in two main areas: ideation and implementation. These two aspects involve using DVFx as a tool for transforming the ideas and the imagination of a filmmaker into a reality on the screen. In other words, DVFx has acted as creative support tools (CST) to increase techno-creativity, especially in the area of visual presentation. Keywords: Creativity, digital visual effects, creative support tools, media technology, globalization.
Perbincangan Orientalisme Melalui Analisis Semiotika dalam Animasi
Authors:   Universiti Malaya, Md Idris Izra Inna , Rahamad Mohamad Saleeh ,   Universiti Malaya, Md Syed Md Azalanshah ,   Universiti Malaya
Published: April 2021

Discussion of Orientalism through Semiotic Analysis in Animation ABSTRACT This study reveals, interprets and understands the oriental influence in Saladin: The Animated Series through the semiotic analysis of Roland Barthes. This study looks at the semiotic elements found in the animated series through a system of signs and this conceptual framework of Barthes is divided into two components, signifier and signified. This sign system is used to look at the symbols through frames in this animation. The analysis of this study examines the changes in the title, poster, use of language, which led to the occurrence of orientalism discourse to disgrace the Islamic figure, Salahuddin al-Ayubi. The findings of the study found that the Westerners used Saladin as a title and not Salahuddin al-Ayubi. Next, the changes in the portrayal of Islamic figure in the poster of the animated film Saladin and Saladin: The Animated Series. There was confusion when the main character of this animated series, Saladin, was not placed in the middle of the poster. Each of the posters shows the influence of orientalism. In terms of language use, the animated series shows the acceptance of external influences such as the use of English as the primary language. The Arabic language is used for the audience in the Middle East and the Malay language is positioned only as a subtitle. The results show that orientalism tarnishes the identity of this Islamic figure. Keywords: Orientalism, semiotic, sign system, signifier, signified.
Screening and Characterization of Emulsifying Hydrocarbon- Degrading Bacteria from Coastal Waters of the Caspian Sea
Authors:   Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Department of Biotechnology, Republic of Kazakhstan, Goncharova Alla , Karpenyuk Tatyana , Kalbayeva Aliya , Mukasheva Togzhan , Bektileuova Nurgul
Published: April 2021

As a result of 400 cultures screening isolated from the contaminated coastal zones of the Caspian Sea, 4 new strains were selected that had a stable growth and utilized oil with NaCl concentration close to that of seawater. Stenotrophomonas chelatiphaga wkal49, Stenotrophomonas chelatiphaga wkal51, Sphingobacterium kitahiroshimense wkar54, and Achromobacter sp. wkar55 were identified based on an analysis of the direct nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene fragment. The degree of oil degradation by these strains was above 50%. The hydrophobicity of the cell surface, emulsifying activity, the degree of influence on the viscosity of crude oil, and also the ability to produce surfactants were the four key factors that made up the studied parameters for the selected strains. The studied strains formed an emulsion layer on the surface of the culture medium. The most active producers of extracellular bioemulsifiers were the Stenotrophomonas chelatiphaga wkal49 and Stenotrophomonas chelatiphaga wkal51 strains. Both demonstrated the highest hydrophobicity, emulsification index, and the highest value for decreasing oil viscosity.