bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intrahepatic Hematoma and Haemobilia after Percutaneous Liver Biopsy: A Clinical Case Report
Authors: Sarafiloski Goran , Marinova Mimi R. , Tonchev Pencho T. 
Published: August 2021

Summary
Assessing the severity of liver disease and predict the response to treatment in clinical practice requires the determination of the degree of inflammation progression and liver fibrosis. Percutaneous liver biopsy is the gold standard for grading and staging liver diseases. Complications are more common in the presence of vascular liver lesions, dilation of the bile ducts, ascites, or whether examination has been performed by less experienced physicians. Bleeding after liver biopsy is considered the most common cause of severe complications. Bleeding usually presents as a subcapsular or parenchymal hematoma, free intraperitoneal hemorrhage, hemobilia, or, rarely, hemothorax. The rarest of hemorrhagic complications is hemobilia, a term used to describe bleeding in the bile ducts. Hemobilia is usually suspected when there is a drop in hemoglobin after the procedure, pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, hyperbilirubinemia, and unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding. The clinical manifestations range from chronic anemia to rapid, massive bleeding with hematemesis and/or melena.
Defence Expenditures of Nato Member States in the Times of Covid and the New US Administration: Selected Observations
Authors: Kozłowski Grzegorz 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
NATO member states have been steadily increasing their levels of defence expenditures since 2015. In 2020, already ten member states met the NATO financial guidelines of spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) for defence, including 20% for major equipment. In addition, many other countries were planning to achieve this target by 2024. There are two factors, however, which could slow down this process. First, economic recession as a follow up to COVID-19 will have a negative influence on the state budgets. Defence spending could start decreasing in nominal terms, followed by the challenges in meeting NATO financial guidelines. Second, while President Donald Trump put the Alliance's burden-sharing in the centre of his policy vis-à-vis European allies, the current US administration, represented by the Democratic Party, will put more emphasis on multilateral cooperation as well as soft security instruments, including development and diplomacy. In consequence, even if the White House is going to stand strongly with 2/20% rule, it might lessen the pressure on European allies, especially Germany, to significantly accelerate defence spending, seeing transatlantic relationship in a broader division of risks and responsibilities. In this article, it is suggested that due to the economic crisis of the 2020s and the shift in the policy of the US Government, NATO member states would slow down, in short and mid-term perspectives, the process of increasing defence expenditures.
The experience of adults who were “unschooled” during their youth: A phenomenological approach
Authors: Gaudreau Joëlle , Brabant Christine 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
To better understand the experience of unschooling, non-directive in-depth interviews with five Quebec adults who had experienced it were conducted according to a phenomenological approach, revealing their perceptions of their educational experiences and their families, as well as their views of the world. Certain aspects of the testimonies corroborate the results of previous studies concerning self-directed learning, use of information technology, development of interests, and participation in a support group; others reveal limits when it comes to learning perseverance, pursuit of complex learning goals, school integration, and evaluation. The participants also spoke of family conflicts, parental control, negligence, and the influence of this experience on their views of society, work, the school system, and the role of government in education.
Should educators promote homeschooling? Worldwide growth and learner outcomes
Authors: Ray Brian 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
The purpose is to briefly summarize forty years of research on the learner outcomes of the modern homeschooling movement and address whether educators should be promoting home education. Studies show that homeschooling (home education) is generally associated with positive learner outcomes. On average, the home educated perform better than their institutional school peers in terms of academic achievement, social, emotional, and psychological development, and success into adulthood (including university). Certain pedagogical and familial elements that are systemic to freely chosen parent-led home-based private education homeschooling are may be the keys to the overall better performance and development of most children – not only the home educated – and into their lives as adults. If this is true, should professional educators be promoting homeschooling rather than criticizing it or trying to inhibit its growth? Are there certain categories of families for whom home education would not be a good idea? Is home education a pedagogical choice and approach about which educators should be skeptical and antagonistic or from which they can learn, be better informed about the needs and successes of students, and support according to the findings of empirical evidence?
Getting a risk-free trial during COVID: Accidental and deliberate home educators, responsibilisation and the growing population of children being educated outside of school
Authors: English Rebecca 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Numbers coming out of education departments in Australia suggest that, even though most Australian schools are open, and families are able to send their children to them, increasing numbers of parents are deciding to keep their children at home for their education (Queensland Government: Department of Education, 2020). It may be that, as the president of Australia’s home education representative body stated during the pandemic, Covid school closures offered a “risk-free trial” of home education (Lever, 2020) by providing an a-posteriori experience of education outside of schools. Building on the Covid experiences, this paper suggests that ‘accidentally falling into’ home education may be significant in understanding parents’ home education choices. Using numbers of home educators from Australia, and the associated data on their location and ages, this paper argues responsibilisation (see Doherty & Dooley, 2018) provides a suitable lens to examine how parents may decide, after an a-posteriori experience such as Covid school closures and previous, often negative, experiences of schooling, to home educate in the medium to long term. This paper proposes that increasing numbers of home educators will be seen in various jurisdictions where families perceive themselves responsibilised to home educate due to Covid as an a-posteriori experiences of home education. The paper proposes these families are ‘accidental’ home educators (English, 2021). By contrast, much more stable is the ‘deliberate’ home education population, those whose choices are based in a-priori beliefs about schooling. The paper proposes that the accidental home education category may be better able to explain the growing numbers of home educators in Australia and across the world, providing a means for governments to respond to the needs of this cohort, and the policies required to manage this population.
Hybrid homeschools: Organization, regulatory environments and reactions to COVID-19
Authors: Wearne Eric 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThis study reports the results of a survey conducted with a set of “hybrid homeschool” leaders (principals or directors) from around the United States who were asked to describe 1. how their families categorize themselves (as homeschoolers, or as members of private schools), 2. the ways in which their schools operate in terms of scheduling, hiring, etc., 3. how their schools are regulated in the various states, and how they work within those regulatory frameworks, and 4. how they were affected by COVID-19, both in the spring of 2020 and the fall of 2020. Respondents provided a variety of names to describe their schools and a split in how families see themselves. In terms of staffing, schedules, tuition, and similar issues, the schools provide several arrangements, within some consistent constraints. Respondents noted a variety of regulatory situations in their respective states, but none felt over-burdened. Neither did any respondents point out particular problems that required regulatory relief. Regarding COVID-19, most schools reported feeling much less disruption compared to nearby conventional (5-day per week) schools.
The gift of homeschooling: Adult homeschool graduates and their parents conceptualize homeschooling in North Carolina
Authors: McCabe Marta , Beláňová Andrea , Machovcová Kateřina 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Although still a marginalized practice, homeschooling is on the rise internationally and across socio-economic groups. Moreover, the current Covid-19 pandemic has shifted additional attention to homeschooling. However, much of the available research is primarily concerned with the current day-to-day practice of homeschooling and little attention is paid to adult homeschool graduates. This exploratory study, based on qualitative interviews with mothers and adult children from 12 families, examines young adults’ overall evaluation of their past homeschooling experience and aims to understand how parents and children view the pros and cons of homeschooling in hindsight. The data analysis revealed that homeschoolers approach education more broadly than focusing strictly on the academic side and it identified the common theme of “gifting,” which challenges the prevailing conceptualization that homeschooling is a “sacrifice.” Respondents viewed their homeschooling experience as a mutually beneficial process of giving and receiving rather than a unidirectional act of “sacrifice.”
Remote home-based education as a new phenomenon in the time of the covid-19 pandemic – the experience of Czech families
Authors: Kostelecká Yvona , Komárková Tereza , Novotná Veronika 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
In March 2020 a state of emergency was declared in the Czech Republic in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which that resulted in the closures of schools. The provision of education continued through mandatory remote home-based education. The aim of this study is to use in-depth interviews to show how Czech families with children at the primary levels of education have coped with this situation. Based on a qualitative analysis, it is possible to state that the families who participated in the research were coping well with the situation and had come up with effective arrangements both for providing education and for fulfilling other responsibilities. The research also revealed that many families consider this to be very demanding time. At the same time, we identified that the way how families tackled the situation of home-based education depended on several factors. The key role was played by the school factor, namely the quality of remote education offered by school and the communication between the school and the parents. The analysis showed that although the quality of communication and remote education offered by school improved between spring 2020 and autumn 2020, schools still have much room to improve the education provided.
Leadership skills, stakeholder management and execution of fibre-optic infrastructure: intervening influence of government policy
Authors: Akhwaba James 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Communication technology has drastically evolved in the last 10 years across the globe. With increased demand for data and voice traffic, fibre-optic network is preferred to transmit high-speed broadband. Nonetheless, fibre-optic infrastructure involves huge construction challenges and continues to fail because of ineffective leadership, stakeholder management and government policies. The main purpose of this study was to investigate how government policy intervenes on the joint influence of leadership skills and stakeholder management on execution of fibre-optic infrastructure in Nairobi County, Kenya. This study adopted the pragmatism paradigm approach, with a cross-sectional survey design. Census was used to select 187 respondents from a target population of 187 functional staff in fibre-optic infrastructure departments. A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while an interview guide was used to collect qualitative data. Statistical analysis techniques were used to analyse the data. It was demonstrated that government policy has a significant intervening influence on the joint influence of leadership skills and stakeholder management on execution of fibre-optic infrastructure. Therefore, governments should come up with policies to guide and regulate execution of fibre-optic infrastructure, review building code to allow for fibre-optic services in new buildings, develop right of way conduits and establish a centrally coordinated authority to facilitate time-bound issuance of permits and related services. It was suggested that similar studies should be carried out in other countries and target vendors and contractors engaged in supply of equipment and construction of fibre-optic infrastructure.
Analyzing and modeling thermal complaints in a commercial building in France
Authors: Kocaman Ezgi , Kuru Merve , Çalış Gülben 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Buildings are interactive environments in which their operations and occupants are linked. Although buildings are operated according to the standards, occupant complaints may arise when there is a mismatch between indoor environmental conditions and actual user needs. Therefore, the accuracy of thermal comfort prediction models suggested by the standards and alternative prediction models need to be investigated. This study aims at assessing the performance of the predicted mean vote (PMV) model suggested by the ISO 7730 Standard to detect occupant thermal dissatisfaction. In addition, a multivariate logistic regression model was developed to predict thermal complaints with respect to “too warm” and “too cold.” This case study was conducted in a commercial building located in Paris, France, between January 2017 and May 2018. Indoor environmental conditions were monitored via sensors and an online tool was used to collect occupant thermal complaints. A total of 53 thermal complaints were analyzed. The results showed that all the operative temperature measurements in both the heating and cooling seasons were within the thresholds suggested by the standards. The PMV method suggested that only 4% of the occupants were dissatisfied with the indoor environment whereas the actual dissatisfaction ratio was 100% under these indoor environmental conditions. In addition, the multivariate logistic regression model showed that operative temperature and season have a significant effect on thermal complaints. Furthermore, the accuracy of the developed model was 90.6%.
Providing a framework for optimizing a mixing design of reactive powder concrete (RPC)
Authors: Moghaddam Farid Ghaffari , Akbarpour Abbas , Firouzi Afshin 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Suitable distribution of particles and the presence of hydration lead to the improved compressive performance and optimum (even reduced) cost in the production of reactive powder concrete (RPC). This study was conducted to obtain a better understanding of RPC and analyze the behavior of modified RPC (MRPC) using the properties of surface resistivity, water penetration, compressive strength, and modulus of elasticity, apart from the cost. The present study was carried out to investigate how to optimize the size and diversity of the aggregate in order to increase the applications and reduce the costs. The options were selected from among the 12 alternatives classified during the construction stages. According to the six weighting parameters used for comparing with the sample, the derived framework can be described as a mixing design for RPC. Five weighting criteria were considered with values of one of the five criteria missing, and in one case, all criteria were taken with equal weights. For the final analysis, the Expert Choice software was used to create a framework for the optimal mix design of RPC and MRPC. The MRPC mixing designs showed good results, with very slight differences compared to RPC. In many cases, MRPC can be used instead of RPC.
Motives of labour migrations of foreign elite athletes to Polish table tennis clubs
Authors: Lenartowicz Michał , Ciok Anna 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
The paper presents results of empirical study on elite foreign athletes working in Polish top table tennis clubs. It focuses on professional migration motives of elite table tennis players. In-depth interviews were carried out with 27 foreign table tennis players from 10 countries, who were playing for two top league clubs in Poland, and with 8 club coaches who were working with foreign players. Research was conducted during the 2014/2015 league season. The surveyed athletes came both from European countries of higher economic status than Poland and from outside Europe, from countries of lower economic status. A significant number of the surveyed players (11) arrived at Poland from China. The reasons why the surveyed players decided to come to Poland were varied and included both pull factors resulting from attractiveness of work abroad and factors pushing the players away from their home country sport system. Among the motives mentioned by the respondents, the major ones seem to be the desire to continue their professional career and to develop as players. Most of the respondents reported a few factors motivating them to come to Poland and play in the Polish table tennis league. Most often they gave several reasons altogether and it is not easy to classify them as exclusively one of the typo-logies of sport migrants presented in the literature. For some of the respondents, the decisive criterion was the high level of the Polish table tennis league, staying only slightly behind the French and German leagues. For others, good financial conditions offered by the Polish clubs and the possibility of improving living conditions were of key importance. Push factors were particularly important in the case of Asian players representing a very high level of sport skills, however slightly lower than the level of the Chinese national team.
Finishing of Tubes using Bonded Magnetic Abrasive Powder in an Abrasive Medium
Authors: Singh Palwinder , Singh Lakhvir , Singh Sehijpal 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Magnetic abrasive flow finishing (MAFF) is an unconventional process capable of producing fine finishing with machining forces controlled by a magnetic field. This process can be utilized for hard to achieve inner surfaces through the activity of extrusion pressure, combined with abrasion activity of a magnetic abrasive powder (MAP) in a polymeric medium. MAP is the key component in securing systematic removal of material and a decent surface finish in MAFF. The research background disclosed various methods such as sintering, adhesive based, mechanical alloying, plasma based, chemical, etc. for the production of bonded MAP. This investigation proposes bonded MAP produced by mechanical alloying followed by heat treatment. The experiments have been conducted on aluminum tubes to investigate the influence of different parameters like magnetic field density, extrusion pressure and number of working cycles. The bonded magnetic abrasive powder used in MAFF is very effective to finish tubes’ inner surfaces and finishing is significantly improved after processing.
Temperature-Dependent Electrical Characteristics of Disc-Shaped Compacts Fabricated using Calcined Eggshell Nano Powder and Dry Cassava Starch
Authors: Robert Ubong W. , Etuk Sunday E. , Agbasi Okechukwu E. , Iboh Ubong A. , Ekpo Sunday S. 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Disc-shaped compacts were fabricated from two mix proportions of calcined eggshell nanopowder and dry cassava starch and then used as test samples. The electrical resistance (R), thermal sensitivity index (β) and electronic activation energy (Ea) of the samples measured over a temperature range from 35 to 75oC were found to decrease non-linearly in values with increasing temperature. It was also observed that the results obtained (R = 3.691E6 Ω – 6.210E7 Ω, β = 3812K – 5316K and Ea = 0.33 eV – 0.46 eV) fulfill market requirements by comparing very well with the established values for NTC thermistors. Hence, from manufacturing viewpoint, recycling of chicken eggshell wastes and cassava effluents can avail electronic industry with promising and alternative materials for fabrication of temperature sensing / monitoring / control devices suitable for engineering applications. This will also help to reduce environmental pollution.
The Effect of Plasma Pretreatment on the Morphology and Properties of Hitus Coatings
Authors: Kvetková Lenka , Hviščová Petra , Medveď Dávid , Lofaj František 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
WC coatings prepared by High Target Utilization Sputtering (HITUS), a relatively new technology, were deposited on three types of substrates. These were silicon (111), steel (100Cr6), and ceramic (WC-Co). The influence of RF plasma power pretreatment on final properties of WC coatings was investigated with two interlayer materials for bonding. The morphology, roughness, and mechanical properties of coatings were studied. The relation between plasma RF power and roughness was found. No significant change in mechanical properties was detected with change in plasma RF power. The dependence of nanohardness and scratch behavior on HITUS WC coatings was investigated.
Powder Metallurgy Manufacturing of Iron Aluminides with Different Aluminium Contents and Magnesium Addition by Reactive Hot Pressing
Authors: Konegger Thomas , Gierl-Mayer Christian , Sikora Andreas , Rojacz Harald , Fafilek Günter , Danninger Herbert , Adam Karl 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
In this work, iron aluminide materials, which are promising candidates for high temperature applications, are manufactured through reactive hot pressing of elemental powder mixes, facilitating a straightforward preparation of well-densified materials with a high degree of microstructural homogeneity. The impact of varying Al additions on reaction behavior, microstructural and compositional features of the resulting materials is evaluated. Furthermore, the effect of adding 1 wt. % Mg on reactivity and phase formation is illustrated. The results show that reactive hot pressing of elemental powders in the Fe-Al and Fe-Al-Mg systems at 1000 °C results in residual porosities well below 5 %. Magnesium addition significantly increased reactivity between constituents, leading to slightly improved densification without exhibiting potentially detrimental segregation phenomena. The processing approach presented in this work leads to material characteristics which are promising in the context of developing materials with favorable mechanical and tribological performance at elevated temperatures.