bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Examining educational inequalities: insights in the context of improved mathematics performance on national and international assessments at primary level in Ireland
Authors: Karakolidis Anastasios , Duggan Alice , Shiel Gerry , Kiniry Joanne 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundEvaluations of effectiveness of educational reforms are often based on the level of improvement in student performance from one cycle of a particular assessment to the next. However, improvements in overall performance do not necessarily translate to improved equality. Indeed, improvements that favour certain subgroups of students can exacerbate educational performance gaps and thus, inequality. This research examines changes in equality of mathematics achievement and subgroup performance differences in Irish primary school students over time. Ireland constitutes an interesting case study due to the introduction of a new National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in 2011, the initial implementation of which has been linked to significant improvements in student mathematics performance. This paper aims to investigate whether these improvements have been accompanied by improvements in equality.MethodsUsing data from the Irish National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading (NAMER) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) from the period before and after the introduction of the Strategy, the study examines (i) deviations in student scores, (ii) variability in achievement at student and school levels and (iii) performance gaps based on demographic and socioeconomic factors over time. Bivariate analyses and multilevel regression models were used to identify student- and school-level variables related to mathematics performance.ResultsThe results showed a decrease in variability in students’ mathematics performance after the introduction of the Strategy; this decrease was statistically significant only for TIMSS. Additionally, there was a considerable decrease in variance in mathematics performance attributed to between-school differences over time. These findings constitute evidence of increased equality as performance differences between students and schools tended to shrink. Regarding performance gaps and variance in mathematics performance explained by background characteristics, this study provided mixed results. In NAMER, subsequent to the introduction of the Strategy, the performance gaps and variance in mathematics achievement explained by selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics decreased considerably. However, this was not the case for TIMSS.ConclusionsThe evidence provided by this study suggests that Ireland has made reasonable progress in addressing inequality. However, there is room for improvement, as a significant proportion of the variance in student mathematics performance is still explained by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
Insurance disparity in cardiovascular mortality among non-elderly cancer survivors
Authors: Shi Tiantian , Jiang Changchuan , Zhu Cenjing , Wu Fangcheng , Fotjhadi Irma , Zarich Stuart 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
Insurance status plays a vital role in cancer diagnosis, treatments and survival. Cancer patients have higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality than the general population.

Methods
The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program 2007–2016 was used to estimate the CVD mortality among cancer patients aged 18 to 64 years at the time of diagnosis of an initial malignancy with the eight most prevalent cancers. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for each insurance (Non-Medicaid vs Medicaid vs Uninsured) using coded cause of death from CVD with adjustment of age, race, and gender. The Fine-Grey Model was used to estimate adjusted Hazard Ratios (HR) of each insurance in CVD mortality.

Results
A total of 768,055 patients were included in the final analysis. CVD death in patients with Medicaid insurance remained higher than in those with Non-Medicaid insurance (HR = 1.71; 95%CI, 1.61–1.81; p < 0.001). Older age, male gender, and black race were all associated with increased CVD mortality in the multivariable model. Compared to the general population, patients with Medicaid had the highest SMRs of CVD mortality, regardless of year of cancer diagnosis, follow-up time, cancer site, and race. Non-Medicaid insured patients had similar CVD mortality to the general population after 2 years out from their cancer diagnosis.

Conclusion
Cancer patients with Non-Medicaid insurance have significantly lower CVD mortality than those with no insurance or Medicaid. The insurance disparity remained significant regardless of type of CVD, cancer site, year of diagnosis and follow-up time.
Efficacy of Clonostachys rosea, as a promising entomopathogenic fungus, against coleopteran stored product insect pests under laboratory conditions
Authors: Mohammed Akram A. , Younus Amal S. , Ali Abdulla N. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
Efficacy of new isolates of the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF), Clonostachys rosea, against adult stage of the most serious coleopteran stored product insect pests in Iraq, Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), was evaluated under laboratory conditions. Two isolates of C. rosea, associated with the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae Sulz.), were isolated and investigated. Efficacy of C. rosea isolates was evaluated by two concentrations (1 × 108 and 1 × 106 conidia ml−1).

Results
Corrected mortality rates caused by both C. rosea isolates, 6 days post-treatment, with 1 × 108 conidia ml−1, ranged from 70.7 to 75.7%. Fungal infection caused 37–53% reduction in total fecundity of the adult females of the three tested insect species, 6 days post-treatment.

Conclusion
Obtained results demonstrated that C. rosea isolates had potentials as a biological control agent against coleopteran stored product insect pests. However, further studies under commercial storage conditions are required.
Ethnomedicinal herbs in African traditional medicine with potential activity for the prevention, treatment, and management of coronavirus disease 2019
Authors: Adeleye Olutayo Ademola , Femi-Oyewo Mbang Nyong , Bamiro Oluyemisi Adebowale , Bakre Lateef Gbenga , Alabi Akinyinka , Ashidi Joseph Senu , Balogun-Agbaje Olalekan Adeyinka , Hassan Oluwakemi Mary , Fakoya Gbemisola 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundEthnomedicine, a study of traditional medicine, is significant in drug discovery and development. African traditional medicine has been in existence for several thousands of years, and several drugs have been discovered and developed from it.Main textThe deadly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 has widely spread globally with high mortality and morbidity. Its prevention, treatment and management still pose a serious challenge. A drug for the cure of this disease is yet to be developed. The clinical management at present is based on symptomatic treatment as presented by individuals infected and this is by combination of more than two drugs such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, and anti-microbials. Literature search was performed through electronic searches of PubMed, Google Scholar, and several research reports including WHO technical documents and monographs.ConclusionDrug discovery from herbs is essential and should be exploited for the discovery of drugs for the management of COVID-19. This review is aimed at identifying ethnomedicinal herbs available in Africa that could be used for the discovery and development of a drug for the prevention, treatment, and management of the novel coronavirus disease 2019.
Pseudoachalasia Following Nissen Fundoplication
Authors: Harbaugh Joshua W. , Clayton Steven B. 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACT
Pseudoachalasia, clinically indistinct from achalasia in symptoms and high-resolution manometry findings, differs by a secondary etiology with more than half of the occurrences arising from malignancy. Rarely pseudoachalasia presents after surgeries of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction. This case offers an additional example of pseudoachalasia after Nissen fundoplication; however, it is unique to the literature by documenting complete manometric progression from normal to pseudoachalasia in a single patient. This case serves to highlight the importance of thorough workups in patients with achalasia symptoms and broadens understanding of this disease process by offering manometric findings in an evolutionary phase.
Interpretable machine learning model to detect chemically adulterated urine samples analyzed by high resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Streun Gabriel L. , Steuer Andrea E. , Ebert Lars C. , Dobay Akos , Kraemer Thomas 
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Urine sample manipulation including substitution, dilution, and chemical adulteration is a continuing challenge for workplace drug testing, abstinence control, and doping control laboratories. The simultaneous detection of sample manipulation and prohibited drugs within one single analytical measurement would be highly advantageous. Machine learning algorithms are able to learn from existing datasets and predict outcomes of new data, which are unknown to the model.

Methods
Authentic human urine samples were treated with pyridinium chlorochromate, potassium nitrite, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, sodium hypochlorite, and water as control. In total, 702 samples, measured with liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, were used. After retention time alignment within Progenesis QI, an artificial neural network was trained with 500 samples, each featuring 33,448 values. The feature importance was analyzed with the local interpretable model-agnostic explanations approach.

Results
Following 10-fold cross-validation, the mean sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value was 88.9, 92.0, 91.9, and 89.2%, respectively. A diverse test set (n=202) containing treated and untreated urine samples could be correctly classified with an accuracy of 95.4%. In addition, 14 important features and four potential biomarkers were extracted.

Conclusions
With interpretable retention time aligned liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry data, a reliable machine learning model could be established that rapidly uncovers chemical urine manipulation. The incorporation of our model into routine clinical or forensic analysis allows simultaneous LC-MS analysis and sample integrity testing in one run, thus revolutionizing this field of drug testing.
Relation Between Cumulative Residual Entropy and Excess Wealth Transform with Applications to Reliability and Risk
Authors: Unnikrishnan Nair N. , Vineshkumar B. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Dynamic cumulative residual entropy is a new addition to the class of information measures.
In the present paper, we study its relationship with excess wealth transform and derive some identities connecting the two using the quantile-based approach.
Some theoretical results that have applications to infer ageing properties and risk measures are presented.
These are used as tools to analyse real life data.
Higher pullbacks of modular forms on orthogonal groups
Authors: Williams Brandon 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
We apply differential operators to modular forms on orthogonal groups

O
⁢

(
2
,
ℓ
)

{\mathrm{O}(2,\ell)}

to construct infinite families of modular forms on special cycles. These operators generalize the quasi-pullback. The subspaces of theta lifts are preserved; in particular, the higher pullbacks of the lift of a (lattice-index) Jacobi form ϕ are theta lifts of partial development coefficients of ϕ. For certain lattices of signature

(
2
,
2
)

{(2,2)}

and

(
2
,
3
)

{(2,3)}

, for which there are interpretations as Hilbert–Siegel modular forms, we observe that the higher pullbacks coincide with differential operators introduced by Cohen and Ibukiyama.
On the number of zeros of diagonal cubic forms over finite fields
Authors: Hong Shaofang , Zhu Chaoxi 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Let

𝔽
q

{\mathbb{F}_{q}}

be the finite field of

q
=

p
k

{q=p^{k}}

elements with
p being a prime and let k be a positive integer. For any

y
,
z

∈

𝔽
q

{y,z\in\mathbb{F}_{q}}

,
let

N
s

⁢

(
z
)

{N_{s}(z)}

and

T
s

⁢

(
y
)

{T_{s}(y)}

denote the numbers of zeros of

x
1
3

+
⋯
+

x
s
3

=
z

{x_{1}^{3}+\cdots+x_{s}^{3}=z}

and

x
1
3

+
⋯
+

x

s
-
1

3

+

y
⁢

x
s
3

=
0

{x_{1}^{3}+\cdots+x_{s-1}^{3}+yx_{s}^{3}=0}

, respectively.
Gauss proved that if

q
=
p

{q=p}

,

p
≡

1

(

mod
3

)

{p\equiv 1~{}(\bmod~{}3)}

and y is non-cubic, then

T
3

⁢

(
y
)

=

p
2

+

1
2

⁢

(

p
-
1

)

⁢

(

-
c

+

9
⁢
d

)

,

T_{3}(y)=p^{2}+\frac{1}{2}(p-1)(-c+9d),

where c and d are uniquely determined by

4
⁢
p

=

c
2

+

27
⁢

d
2

{4p=c^{2}+27d^{2}}

and

c
≡

1

(

mod
3

)

{c\equiv 1~{}(\bmod~{}3)}

except for the sign of d. In 1978, Chowla,
Cowles and Cowles determined the sign of d for the case of 2 being a non-cubic
element of

𝔽
p

{\mathbb{F}_{p}}

. But the sign problem is kept open for the remaining case of 2
being cubic in

𝔽
p

{\mathbb{F}_{p}}

. In this paper, we solve this sign problem by determining
the sign of d when 2 is cubic in

𝔽
p

{\mathbb{F}_{p}}

. Furthermore, we show that the generating
functions

∑

s
=
1

∞

N
s

⁢

(
z
)

⁢

x
s

{\sum_{s=1}^{\infty}N_{s}(z)x^{s}}

and

∑

s
=
1

∞

T
s

⁢

(
y
)

⁢

x
s

{\sum_{s=1}^{\infty}T_{s}(y)x^{s}}

are rational functions for any

z
,
y

∈

𝔽
q
*

:=

𝔽
q

∖

{
0
}

{z,y\in\mathbb{F}_{q}^{*}:=\mathbb{F}_{q}\setminus\{0\}}

with y being non-cubic over

𝔽
q

{\mathbb{F}_{q}}

, and we also give their explicit expressions.
This extends the theorem of Myerson and that of Chowla, Cowles and Cowles.
The Foochow Chinese: moving towards a pan-Chinese identity anchored to Mandarin
Authors: Ting Su-Hie , Ting Su-Lin 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
The study investigated the use of Mandarin and Chinese dialects, and attitudes towards these languages among the Foochow living in Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. The study involved 408 Foochow respondents (204 children, 204 parents). As most of the respondents’ close friends, neighbours and colleagues were Foochow, and Chinese in general, Foochow and Mandarin were the two main languages used, but English, Malay and Iban were sometimes used with people from other ethnic groups. More parents felt at ease speaking Foochow in all situations but more children felt that it is nothing special to speak their dialect. The most cherished and emotionally expressive language for the parents was Foochow but for their children, it was Mandarin. More parents were aware of cultural associations and activities than their children. They believed that the use of Chinese dialects will decrease in future and intergenerational transmission of the dialect is important. Yet they were still looking to cultural associations and the government to promote their culture and dialect. The study indicated that the markers for membership of their Chinese dialect group are ancestry, language, living among people from the same dialect group, cultural practices and religion.
1930年代“大众语”在新马的宣传及其对国语推广的影响
Authors: 克威 邱 
Published: March 2021

摘要
新马“国语运动”在1930年代进入“全盛期”,尤其在初期随着各种活动与组织的发展使“国语”的推广取得佳绩。然而1930年代中期开始在中国国内关于“国语”的一系列批评思潮与运动,尤其是1934年以来的“大众语运动”,新马华人社会也直接投入其中。1937年进入抗战时期,“大众语运动”结合“通俗文学运动”与“新文字运动”,在新马华人社会中宣传“抗战救亡”的工作上取得了普遍的支持,并由此直接或间接地影响了新马“国语”的发展及其推广。本文首先从1930年代新马社会的语言环境,尤其是“国语”的教育与使用情况分析,了解“大众语”在新马文化界与知识界深受支持的社会背景;其次是整理当时针对“大众语”及其相关运动的讨论及其宣传活动,最后则探讨1930年代“大众语运动”给新马华人社会所带来的影响,尤其是对“国语”的推广与发展的影响。
JMJD3-regulated expression of IL-6 is involved in the proliferation and chemosensitivity of acute myeloid leukemia cells
Authors: Xu Xiaojun , Ye Yongbin , Wang Xiaobo , Lu Bo , Guo Ziwen , Wu Shunjie 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Emerging evidence shows that histone modification and its related regulators are involved in the progression and chemoresistance of multiple tumors including acute myeloid leukemia cells (AML). Our present study found that the expression of histone lysine demethylase Jumonji domain containing-3 (JMJD3) was increased in AML cells as compared with that in human primary bone marrow (HPBM) cells. Knockdown of JMJD3 can decrease the proliferation of AML cells and increase the chemosensitivity of daunorubicin (DNR) and cytarabine (Ara-C). By screening the expression of cytokines involved in AML progression, we found that knockdown of JMJD3 can inhibit the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6). Recombinant IL-6 (rIL-6) can attenuate si-JMJD3-suppressed proliferation of AML cells. Mechanistically, JMJD3 can positively regulate the promoter activity and transcription of IL-6 mRNA, while had no effect on its mRNA stability. Further, JMJD3 can regulate the expression of p65, which can directly bind with promoter of IL-6 to increase its transcription. Over expression of p65 significantly attenuated si-JMJD3-suppressed expression of IL-6. Collectively, we revealed that JMJD3 can regulate the proliferation and chemosensitivity of AML cells via upregulation of IL-6. It suggested that JMJD3 might be a potential therapy target for AML treatment.
Humor styles predict emotional and behavioral responses to COVID-19
Authors: Olah Andrew R. , Ford Thomas E. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
A correlational study (n = 180 adults) in the United States tested the hypothesis that self-directed humor styles predict emotional responses to COVID-19, specifically stress and hopelessness, and in turn predict engagement in protective behaviors. Results from a sequential mediation analysis supported our hypotheses. First, to the extent that people have a self-enhancing humor style they perceived less stress and hopelessness associated with COVID-19 and as a result reported engaging in more protective behaviors. Second, people higher in self-defeating humor style showed the opposite pattern; they perceived more stress and hopelessness due to COVID-19 and thus reported engaging in less protective behaviors. Implications for theory and application are discussed.
A pandemic of jokes? The Israeli COVID-19 meme and the construction of a collective response to risk
Authors: Sebba-Elran Tsafi 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic that broke out in Israel in February 2020 prompted widespread public response, which included a deluge of humorous memes. The current article discusses the main meme cycles of the pandemic with the aim of uncovering the functions of the humorous meme, and particularly its singular language, which incorporates the universal and the particular, the global and the local, the hegemonic and the subversive. The memes are examined in their immediate context, as responses to news announcements, restrictions, and rumors relating to the pandemic, and from a comparative perspective, with emphasis on the various functions of disaster jokes and the use of folklore in response to previous epidemics, crises, or risks. Alongside the hybrid nature of the genre, these meme cycles demonstrate that COVID-19 is not just a threatening virus but a new reality that undermines our experience of time and space, evoking old beliefs and new, and threatening to change everyday practices. These narratives not only reflect the incongruities evoked by the virus, but also give vent to anxieties and aggressions brought on by the pandemic and convey a communal need to protect and foster group cohesion and a local sense of belonging.
On tangential approximations of the solution set of set-valued inclusions
Authors: Uderzo Amos 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
In the present paper, the problem of estimating the contingent cone
to the solution set associated with certain set-valued inclusions is addressed
by variational analysis methods and tools.
As a main result, inner (resp. outer) approximations, which are expressed
in terms of outer (resp. inner) prederivatives of the set-valued term
appearing in the inclusion problem, are provided. For the analysis of inner approximations,
the evidence arises that
the metric increase property for set-valued mappings turns out to play a crucial role.
Some of the results obtained in this context are then exploited for formulating
necessary optimality conditions for constrained problems, whose feasible region is defined by
a set-valued inclusion.
Physics’ Contribution to Causation
Authors: Kistler Max 
Published: March 2021

AbstractMost philosophers of physics are eliminativists about causation. Following Bertrand Russell’s lead, they think that causation is a folk concept that cannot be rationally reconstructed within a worldview informed by contemporary physics. Against this thesis, I argue that physics contributes to shaping the concept of causation, in two ways. (1) Special Relativity is a physical theory that expresses causal constraints. (2) The physical concept of a conserved quantity can be used in the functional reduction of the notion of causation. The empirical part of this reduction makes the hypothesis that the transference of an amount of a conserved quantity is a necessary and sufficient condition for causation. This hypothesis is defended against several objections from physics: that amounts of energy do not possess the appropriate identity conditions required for being able to be transmitted, that there is no universal principle of the conservation of energy in General Relativity, and that there are at least two types of physical systems in which causation does not involve any transference: entangled systems in quantum mechanics and the Aharonov–Bohm effect. In order to show that physics provides means to elaborate the concept of causation it is important to avoid certain misunderstandings. In particular, the claim that there is causation in a physical world does not mean that causation is an additional ingredient of the “furniture” of the world, over and above the ingredients identified by physics.
Transgressive Arabic discourse in Lebanese political protest
Authors: Riskedahl Diane 
Published: March 2021

AbstractA wide range of Arabic language variation in form, code choice and orthographic script was wielded by Lebanese political protestors in their graffiti and political placards in Beirut in 2015. That summer, civil protests spilled out into the streets to critique the government inaction over waste management and overall corruption. I will focus on four tactics that highlight a trend towards linguistic transgression and strategic recontextualization of Arabic discourse in these protests: reworking of state iconography; inscribing irreverent spoken dialect in written form; incorporation of hashtag (#) participant and interpretive frameworks; and the recontextualization of traditional calligraphic forms in new contexts. This paper explores the intertextuality of protest signage and consider the ways in which the transgression of traditional linguistic boundaries might inform understandings of the social dynamics of contemporary politics in Lebanon.