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The INTEGRATE system is a gene‐editing approach that offers advantages over the widely used CRISPR‐Cas9 system. It does not introduce double strand breaks in the target DNA but rather integrates the desired DNA sequence directly into it. The first step in the integration process is PAM recognition, which is critical to understanding and optimizing the system. Experimental testing revealed varying integration efficiencies of different PAM mutants, and computational simulations were carried out to gain mechanistic insight into the conformational changes of Cas8 during PAM recognition. Our results showed that the interaction between Arg246 and guanine at position (−1) of the target strand is critical for PAM recognition. We found that unfavorable interactions in the 5′‐AC‐3′ PAM mutant disrupted this interaction and may be responsible for its 0% integration efficiency. Additionally, we discovered that PAM sequences not only initiate the integration process but also regulate it through an allosteric mechanism that connects the N‐terminal domain and the helical bundle of Cas8. This allosteric regulation was present in all PAMs tested, even those with lower integration efficiencies, such as 5′‐TC‐3′ and 5′‐AC‐3′. We identified the Cas8 residues that are involved in this regulation. Our findings provide valuable insights into PAM recognition mechanisms in the INTEGRATE system and can help improve the gene‐editing technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEIC) technology has attracted considerable research attention. Studies have achieved numerous breakthroughs in the basic scientific problems, key technologies, demonstration applications, and industrial promotions of OEIC. This study details the technical process, development status, existing problems, and future research trends of the design, manufacturing, and packaging of OEIC to provide a systematic summary of OEIC technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated and projected‐based laboratory course was described, integrating interconnected knowledge points and biochemistry and molecular biology techniques on a research project‐based system. The program, which served as an essential extension of theoretical courses to practice, was conducted with a sophomore of basic medical science who had completed the course in medical biochemistry and molecular biology. This course engaged students in learning "genetic manipulation" and "recombinant DNA technology" to understand the target gene's role in disease mechanics, thus altering evaluation and treatment for clinical disease. Students could master applied and advanced techniques, such as cell culture, transfection, inducing exogenous fusion protein expression, purifying protein and its concentration assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western bot analysis. This laboratory exercise links laboratory practices with the methods of current basic research. Students need to complete the experimental design report and laboratory report, which could be advantageous for improving their ability to write lab summaries and scientific papers in the future. The reliability and validity analyses were conducted on the questionnaire, and we examined students' satisfaction with the course and their gains from the course. The student feedback was generally positive, indicating that the exercise helped consolidate theoretical knowledge, increase scientific research enthusiasm, and provide a powerful tool to be a better person and make informed decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To improve access to appropriate eye health care services within the community health structures in Ghana, pre- and post-intervention studies were carried out to explore the feasibility of integrating primary eye health into the community health planning services programme. Aim: To explore the feasibility, accessibility and acceptability of integrating primary eye health care into community health planning services. Setting: The study was carried out in the Northern, Western and Eastern regions of Ghana. Methods: A pre- and post-intervention multi-stage cluster randomised design based on two separate cross-sectional surveys with both quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used. The magnitude of change in the dependent variables for the intervention group was compared with those for the comparison group at baseline and endline using a difference-in-difference analysis. Results: The intervention communities were more likely to visit a community health facility with their eye problems. Improved access to eye care medicines reduced the use of herbal preparations to treat eye disease. Conclusion: Integrating primary eye care (PEC) into community health planning service (CHPS) was associated with greater utilisation of community health facilities for eye health care services. Contribution: The results of this study should facilitate the implementation of the vision for everyone integrated into universal health coverage.

Event management in the hospitality industry came into being because many corporate firms, families and friends asked hotels to organise their gatherings. For corporate firms, these events are considered training programmes, meetings, or conferences. For families, events include weddings, birthday parties, or even garden parties. When large numbers of people gather for any purpose, it requires proper management. This management of arrangements provided to people is done by the event management team. The hospitality sector includes event management. Hotel event management ensures that any event in the hotel runs smoothly. Event ventures use resources and create economic costs and benefits in equal measure. Apart from the provision of job alternatives, events raise the level of population participation in economic development, generate secondary income, enhance community stability, and are often considered to leave minimal damage to the physical environment. With rising competition in the events management industry, competitive strategies help focus on assessing organisations’ strengths, growth opportunities and competitive threats. Traditional competitive advantage models may not be applicable for smaller firms because they assume the existence of scale economies. Yet small firms cannot compete with larger organisations in economies of scale. This article therefore tries to determine the influence of dynamic capabilities on the competitive advantage of event management ventures (EMvs) in selected counties in Kenya. The sample size comprised 230 managers selected through stratified and simple random sampling techniques respectively, and 15 entrepreneurs selected using purposive sampling. The regression analysis revealed that dynamic capabilities (β = 0.295, p < 0.001) significantly influenced the competitive advantage of EMvs. The study recommends that managers should be flexible in the constantly changing environment and adapt their competencies to achieve competitive advantage.

Optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEIC) technology has attracted considerable research attention. Studies have achieved numerous breakthroughs in the basic scientific problems, key technologies, demonstration applications, and industrial promotions of OEIC. This study details the technical process, development status, existing problems, and future research trends of the design, manufacturing, and packaging of OEIC to provide a systematic summary of OEIC technology.

Integrating non-profit organizations (NPOs) and the services they provide into development planning highlights an aspect of government–NPOs relationship that frames NPOs as drivers of development. In South Africa, even though NPOs are typically regarded as private owned organizations, the nature of the services they provide in various policy fields has implications for socio-economic development. However, the development planning process is currently, more public and business sector oriented. Using a qualitative research approach, the findings suggest that non-profit services can be integrated into development planning through the processes of Reality Adjustment, Strategic Engagement, Sector Mapping and Pro-activism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Event management in the hospitality industry came into being because many corporate firms, families and friends asked hotels to organise their gatherings. For corporate firms, these events are considered training programmes, meetings, or conferences. For families, events include weddings, birthday parties, or even garden parties. When large numbers of people gather for any purpose, it requires proper management. This management of arrangements provided to people is done by the event management team. The hospitality sector includes event management. Hotel event management ensures that any event in the hotel runs smoothly. Event ventures use resources and create economic costs and benefits in equal measure. Apart from the provision of job alternatives, events raise the level of population participation in economic development, generate secondary income, enhance community stability, and are often considered to leave minimal damage to the physical environment. With rising competition in the events management industry, competitive strategies help focus on assessing organisations' strengths, growth opportunities and competitive threats. Traditional competitive advantage models may not be applicable for smaller firms because they assume the existence of scale economies. Yet small firms cannot compete with larger organisations in economies of scale. This article therefore tries to determine the influence of dynamic capabilities on the competitive advantage of event management ventures (EMvs) in selected counties in Kenya. The sample size comprised 230 managers selected through stratified and simple random sampling techniques respectively, and 15 entrepreneurs selected using purposive sampling. The regression analysis revealed that dynamic capabilities (β = 0.295, p < 0.001) significantly influenced the competitive advantage of EMvs. The study recommends that managers should be flexible in the constantly changing environment and adapt their competencies to achieve competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to describe an experiment in the design and construction of an intelligent irrigation system based on the integration of ready-made programmed components and programmable ones, which, if necessary, will provide watering of plantations. This paper presents a model of an integrated multi-component architecture for a smart garden, which is based on the combination of various components and techniques in small-scale urban garden irrigation by using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Automation is related to planning based on sensor data processing, determining when to activate water supply. Unlike manufacturers who offer "smart irrigation" solutions with all the automated components needed to build a complete intelligent system, our approach is different. We combine components from various manufacturers to create an independent irrigation system. The challenge lies in ensuring these components can seamlessly work together, processing automation instructions through external software, and storing data on a remote server. The described model represents an innovative solution that enhances the functionality and sustainability of urban gardens by combining an understanding of the gardens' needs and effective resource management, contributing to an improved quality of life for citizens and the sustainable use of natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difference in meteorological factors (such as weather phenomena, wind speed, and visibility) of sand–dust weather between China and Mongolia from 2011 to 2021 was analyzed using meteorological observational data and international exchange of meteorological observation data. Additionally, consistency analysis was performed by integrating satellite retrieval products with meteorological observation data. The results showed that the average annual frequency of sand–dust weather in Mongolia was significantly higher than that in China. In China, the sand–dust weather was mainly characterized by floating dust or blowing dust, while in Mongolia, it was primarily characterized by blowing dust or a sand and dust storm. The average annual wind speed and visibility during sand–dust weather in Mongolia were relatively higher than those in China. Based on the dust grade standard of China, when the floating dust occurred in Mongolia, there were cases with wind speed > level 3 and visibility > 10 km; when the blowing dust or sand and dust storm occurred in Mongolia, there were cases with wind speed ≤ level 3 and visibility > 10 km. In China, the sand–dust weather mainly occurred in the spring, while the sand-dust weather occurred frequently throughout the year in Mongolia. The number of days with dust lasting for 2 days or more in Mongolia exceeded that of China, and Mongolia had a significant impact on the sand–dust weather in China. According to the ground observation data and satellite retrieve products during the dust events, all dust events that significantly affected China and Mongolia during the same period from 2021 to 2022 were classified into three categories; among them, the proportion of types of large-scale sand–dust weather phenomena observed by both satellite and ground observation stations was significantly higher (6 times). By integrating ground observation data and satellite retrieval products and following the dust grade standard of China, the consistent correction of sand–dust weather phenomena was carried out. This laid the foundation for the future development of international dust grade standards and provided technological support for improved dust forecasting services in the Asian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital mapping of soil organic carbon (SOC) is essential for visualizing the spatial distribution at different regions and scales. However, existing studies using remote sensing are limited by the low spectral resolution of multispectral data for accurate estimation of SOC, and the failure of laboratory visible and near-infrared and shortwave infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy to perform pixel-level mapping. To address these limitations, this study proposes a SOC mapping framework that integrates satellite earth observations and proximal sensing spectral data to reconstruct images having a spectral resolution of 400–2500 nm and a spatial resolution of 10 m, then the clustering probability analysis was applied on the reconstructed images, to develop a high accuracy SOC prediction model and demonstrate its effectiveness across geographical and spatial scales. Specifically, a total of 324 topsoil samples were collected from Baoqing and Suiling counties in northeast China, whose laboratory Vis-NIR reflectance spectra and SOC were measured. Sentinel-2A images of bare soils averaged over three years before and after the samples collection (i.e., 2018 to 2021) were collected. A total of 264 samples from eight fields in Belgium were used to evaluate the performance of the model at the field scale. Then, two models were developed (i) a global regression model with direct prediction using random forest and (ii) a clustering probability model with Gaussian Mixture Model-random forest. Results demonstrated that (1) reconstructed images produced more accurate prediction results than the individual laboratory Vis-NIR spectroscopy and Sentinel-2A models. (2) At the regional scale, clustering probability model achieved better performance in quantification of SOC (coefficient of determination [R2] = 0.78, and root mean square error [RMSE] = 0.78 %) than global regression model (R2 = 0.65, and RMSE = 1.06 %). (3) For field scale, the reconstructed image-based clustering probability SOC prediction model was shown to be effective when using the Belgium data, providing a R2 of 0.67, and RMSE of 0.15 %. (4) Integrating remote sensing multispectral and proximal Vis-NIR information can lead to a smoother and more continuous SOC distribution within the region, and can better show its spatial heterogeneity within the field. This study highlights the advantages of integrating remote sensing with proximal sensing for improving the accuracy of SOC prediction and mapping, enabling applicability of the model across geographical and spatial scales with appreciable accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal waste has become a pressing concern, driven by the increasing volume of waste generation and its adverse impact on communities. Effectively managing municipal waste is a joint responsibility shared between public authorities and the general population. Romania is obliged to adhere to its commitments to the European Commission by implementing economic tools to enhance municipal waste management. One such instrument is the Integrated Waste Management System (IWMS), which encompasses all facets of waste management, encompassing collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal. This research endeavors to evaluate the density and composition of selectively collected waste in three cities in Romania and to gauge the public's awareness and competence in correctly segregating waste within integrated and non-integrated waste collection systems. The primary objectives of this study are to assess the public's knowledge of selective waste collection, the accuracy of waste segregation, and the disparities between these management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we propose a one-dimensional layered structure to realize the integration of various applications of solar energy spectrum based on phase-change materials (PCMs). Through the effective combination of PCMs and the designed structure, a tunable solar spectral directional absorption and switchable near-infrared band sensor can be simultaneously obtained on one sample. The research provides creative possibility for the applications of angle and polarization information of solar spectrum and narrowband filtering sensing.

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The tumor heterogeneity of the transcriptional profiles is independent of genetic variation. Several studies have successfully identified esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) subtypes based on the somatic mutation profile and copy number variations on the genome. However, transcriptomebased classification is limited. In this study, we classified 141 patients with ESCC into three subtypes (Subtype 1, Subtype 2, and Subtype 3) via tumor sample gene expression profiling. Differential gene expression (DGE) analysis of paired tumor and normal samples for each subtype revealed significant difference among subtypes. Moreover, the degree of change in the expression levels of most genes gradually increased from Subtype 1 to Subtype 3. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) identified the representative pathways in each subtype: Subtype 1, abnormal Wnt signaling pathway activation; Subtype 2, inhibition of glycogen metabolism; and Subtype 3, downregulation of neutrophil degranulation process. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to elucidate the finer regulation of biological pathways and discover hub genes. Subsequently, nine hub genes (CORO1A, CD180, SASH3, CD52, CD300A, CD14, DUSP1, KIF14, and MCM2) were validated to be associated with survival in ESCC based on the RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The clustering analysis of ESCC granted better understanding of the molecular characteristics of ESCC and led to the discover of new potential therapeutic targets that may contribute to the clinical treatment of ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to the increasing market competition, Chinese enterprises have higher and higher requirements for employees, and the psychological pressure of employees has increased dramatically, resulting in increasingly serious psychological problems, thus affecting the normal operation of enterprises. The purpose of mental health education is to cultivate good mental state of employees, enhance their ability to resist stress, learn stress coping strategies and improve work efficiency, so it is particularly important to study the current situation and coping strategies of employees’ stress. In this study, the mental health status of employees in electric power enterprises was investigated and analyzed. Based on the analysis of the existing problems and causes of employees’ mental health education, practical solutions were put forward. Under the background of mass education, the enterprise employees’ mental health education integration mode with enterprise subject, employee participation and social linkage is established, and a multi-level guarantee system is established to ensure the efficient operation of the integration mode, and finally realize the orderly advancement of enterprise employees’ mental health education.

The difference in meteorological factors (such as weather phenomena, wind speed, and visibility) of sand–dust weather between China and Mongolia from 2011 to 2021 was analyzed using meteorological observational data and international exchange of meteorological observation data. Additionally, consistency analysis was performed by integrating satellite retrieval products with meteorological observation data. The results showed that the average annual frequency of sand–dust weather in Mongolia was significantly higher than that in China. In China, the sand–dust weather was mainly characterized by floating dust or blowing dust, while in Mongolia, it was primarily characterized by blowing dust or a sand and dust storm. The average annual wind speed and visibility during sand–dust weather in Mongolia were relatively higher than those in China. Based on the dust grade standard of China, when the floating dust occurred in Mongolia, there were cases with wind speed > level 3 and visibility > 10 km; when the blowing dust or sand and dust storm occurred in Mongolia, there were cases with wind speed ≤ level 3 and visibility > 10 km. In China, the sand–dust weather mainly occurred in the spring, while the sand-dust weather occurred frequently throughout the year in Mongolia. The number of days with dust lasting for 2 days or more in Mongolia exceeded that of China, and Mongolia had a significant impact on the sand–dust weather in China. According to the ground observation data and satellite retrieve products during the dust events, all dust events that significantly affected China and Mongolia during the same period from 2021 to 2022 were classified into three categories; among them, the proportion of types of large-scale sand–dust weather phenomena observed by both satellite and ground observation stations was significantly higher (6 times). By integrating ground observation data and satellite retrieval products and following the dust grade standard of China, the consistent correction of sand–dust weather phenomena was carried out. This laid the foundation for the future development of international dust grade standards and provided technological support for improved dust forecasting services in the Asian region.

The concept of integration has garnered increased attention in the past few years, despite a long history of only brief mention. Integration services are offered by therapists, coaches, and other practitioners, or may be selfguided. There are many definitions of psychedelic integration, and the term encompasses a range of practices and techniques. This seems to have led to confusion about what integration is and how it is best practiced. The primary focus of this manuscript is the presentation of the first extensive review and concept analysis of definitions, practices, and models of psychedelic integration. We provide a synthesized definition of integration, synthesized model of integration, and comprehensive summary of integration practices to bring clarity to the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of integration has garnered increased attention in the past few years, despite a long history of only brief mention. Integration services are offered by therapists, coaches, and other practitioners, or may be self-guided. There are many definitions of psychedelic integration, and the term encompasses a range of practices and techniques. This seems to have led to confusion about what integration is and how it is best practiced. The primary focus of this manuscript is the presentation of the first extensive review and concept analysis of definitions, practices, and models of psychedelic integration. We provide a synthesized definition of integration, synthesized model of integration, and comprehensive summary of integration practices to bring clarity to the subject.

[Abstract]: An open design experiment was conducted based on the task-oriented and micro-project mode in pharmaceutical analysis to instruct students majoring in pharmaceutical drug analysis to integrate experimental resources, strengthen knowledge integration, improve students’ ability to comprehensively utilize knowledge, discover problems, analyze and solve problems, and arouse students’ enthusiasm for scientific experiments to the highest extent. Furthermore, to culture high-quality, innovative, and integrated pharmaceutical talents in the new century who are competent for drug inspection, have the concept of comprehensive control of drug quality, a solid foundation, and strong scientific research ability.

Teaching thinking skills is important for learning and social practice and teachers around the world are encouraged to integrate thinking skills in teaching. However, little is known about teachers' conceptions, beliefs, and practice about integrating thinking skills in foreign language instruction. The purpose of this paper is to examine Saudi EFL teachers' understanding of thinking skills in EFL classrooms through the analysis of (N=76) self- completed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with (N=8) teachers. Data analysis focuses on bringing all the data together to generate an in-depth understanding about how teachers conceptualise thinking skills and how these skills are perceived to be supported in subject learning. This study suggests that EFL teachers in a Saudi Arabian context find it difficult to define thinking skills and hold fragmented and insufficient understanding about the concept. The teachers also demonstrated overall positive attitudes towards integrating thinking skills in language classrooms, although some of them do not believe thinking skills should be promoted exclusively in language classrooms. The findings also revealed that teachers believe that thinking skills can be taught, and especially through reading and writing. Moreover, integrating thinking skills in teaching is closely related to the focus of the English subject, curriculum, class time and textbooks. There is a strong case for arguing for immediate teacher training to develop both content and pedagogical knowledge of teaching critical thinking skills in language teaching classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biophilic architecture is a growing field that seeks to create sustainable and healthy buildings that are in harmony with nature. Biophilic applications are expanding, where people are the center of design. The 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design is popular criteria of Biophilic architecture and widely applied, in which architectural solutions need to ensure the most convenient and comfortable living environment quality in a close relationship with nature. Apartment buildings in large cities of Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City are being developed strongly with many questions about the quality of the living environment. The goal of the article is to integrate the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design into the convenience and comfort of apartments in Ho Chi Minh City. The research methods include: collecting documents, analysis-synthesis and modeling. The results focus on the proposed design solutions according to patterns of the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design in each comfort level of the convenience and comfort of apartments. The study highlights the potential benefits of integrating biophilic design principles into the built environment in order to improve the overall health and well-being of urban residents. The conclusions will contribute to improving the quality of life in apartment buildings in Vietnam towards being more environmentally sustainable and humane.

Teaching cross-cultural knowledge in language teaching is drawing more and more attention nowadays. This study investigated the effect of integrating teaching cross-cultural issues and teaching listening skill on students’ intercultural competence. The participants were 30 Vietnamese students of English as a foreign language (EFL) who participated in the course on Listening 2 in the second year of their MBA program in Kien Giang University, Vietnam. The study consisted of an experimental study based on a pretest-posttest research design on integration of cross-cultural issues and teaching listening. The intercultural sensitivity self-assessment questionnaire (ISSAQ) that serves as a pre-test at the beginning of the semester is based on the theoretical framework put forth by Bennett and Bennett (2004). It is to elicit a self-assessment of their intercultural knowledge, behaviors and attitudes. During the ten-week intervention, besides helping students master the language and listening skill, the researcher helped promote students’ cross-cultural competence with the process-oriented intercultural teaching mode by Li (2016). At the end of the course, the posttest was given to measure the effects of the integration model on students’ intercultural communication competence. The results of the study suggested that integrating cross-cultural knowledge and language teaching could improve EFL students' intercultural communication competence (ICC).

The emerging micro-nano-processing technologies have propelled significant advances in multifunctional systems that can perform multiple functions within a small volume through integration. Herein, we present an on-chip multifunctional system based on a 1T/2H-MoS2/graphene fishnet tube, where a micro-supercapacitor and a gas sensor are integrated. A hybrid three-dimensional stereo nanostructure, including MoS2 nanosheets and graphene fishnet tubes, provides K+ ions with a short diffusion pathway and more active sites. Owing to the large layer spacing of 1T-MoS2 promoting fast reversible diffusion, the on-chip micro-supercapacitor exhibits excellent electrochemical properties, including an areal capacitance of 0.1 F·cm−2 (1 mV·s−1). The variation in the conductivity of 2H-MoS2 when ammonia molecules are adsorbed as derived from the first-principles calculations proves the Fermi level-changes theory. Driven by a micro-supercapacitor, the responsivity of the gas sensor can reach 55.7% at room temperature (27 °C). The multifunctional system demonstrates the possibility of achieving a two-dimensional integrated system for wearable devices and wireless sensor networks in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As political and economic instability coupled with natural disasters continue to displace people around the world, migration and resettlement remain necessary. Hosting countries and communities grapple with how to meet the diverse needs of the refugees. Given that over a half of the refugees are under the age of 18 years (i.e., school-age children and youth), schools play a major role in the process of integration in to the new homeland. The purpose of this study was to examine principal leadership efforts to integrate refugee students and their families at Northstar Elementary School. The findings of this study are organized by three themes: fostering new meanings about diversity, promoting inclusive school cultures and instructional programs, and building relationships between schools and communities.

The “Greek/English Writing to Braille” translation software helps users during the conversion of every Greek writing (either toneless or polytonic) to Braille, as well as British or Ancient Greek writing to Braille. The translation is completed automatically, eliminating the mistakes risk even for an experienced Braille user. Software’s operators can also print the translated Braille texts, using the appropriate Braille machinery. There also the potential of self-learning, which concerns the second part of the software, by learning Greek and English writing to Braille using a PC instead of the manual typewriter that has been used up till now. The operator works out the Greek or English scripts on the software textboxes, typing a variety of combinations of Braille writing, while the software automatically displays the text directly to Braille form. The software also offers the ability to type Braille combinations and automatically appears Greek text. Finally, it is proposed for a self-teaching practice for the Braille writing.

The South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) technology Grades R–9 includes indigenous technology under its third aim, to appreciate the interaction between people's values, technology, society, and the environment, and the sub-aim emphasises that students learn how indigenous cultures use specific materials and processes to satisfy needs and become aware of indigenous intellectual property rights. This implies the need to integrate indigenous technology into the teaching of technology, which technology teachers are not doing in their lessons. Hence, this qualitative interpretive study explored technology teachers' understanding of and attempt to integrate indigenous technology into their lessons. The integration of indigenous technology into technology lessons could make the teaching of technology more relevant in the South African school context. Twelve Grade 7 technology teachers from Mpumalanga were conveniently selected to participate in the study. The findings reveal that technology teachers understand indigenous technology but struggle to integrate it into their lessons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the integration of energy storage micro-devices has attracted more and more attention. The integration of planar on-chip micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) not only supplies a higher voltage output, but also meets the requirements of different devices for output voltage by adjusting the number of integrated MSCs. Here, we show an integrated all-solid-state planar on-chip MSC, which based on reduced graphene oxide film with photolithography technology. This series of MSCs can support 2 V output voltage. In addition, it also possessed better electrochemical performance, and its area capacitance, stack capacitance, energy density, and power density had reached 9.48 μF cm−2, 7.90 F cm−3, 1.10 mWh cm−3 and 12.7 W cm−3 at an output voltage of 2 V. Meanwhile, it had a better cycle stability. After 10,000 cycles, 98.5% of the capacitor could be retained. If such a planar on-chip MSC is highly integrated, its electrochemical properties will be greatly improved, which will greatly promote the development of MSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online business intelligence systems often collect the texts from different sources, such as social media and news websites that can be heterogeneous in practice. These collections bring the difficulties of managing and organizing the comprehensive information hidden in different texts of the system. To more effectively organize the multisourced texts and help online users acquire wider knowledge, we propose a business intelligence system which integrates the multisourced texts from multisources. Regarding in many occasions, multisourced texts share some common contents with respect to the same topics. For example, a tweet and a news report may talk about the same event. Therefore, our goal is to correlate such texts of different sources with respect to the similar topics and get integrated more comprehensive information to facilitate other data mining tasks as well as online applications. To handle the problem, we propose a heterogeneous information network-based text aligning (HINTA) framework in this paper. HINTA applies meta-paths to calculate the text similarities, and constructs correlated pairs between the two types of texts. Next, HINTA first applies anchored pairs as bridges to combine the different types of texts. Finally, three different inference methods are employed to align the multisourced texts. Experimental results on real-world dataset show the effectiveness and efficiency of the framework in addressing the texts alignment problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The so-called 'crisis in masculinity' in the post-industrial/post-feminist world is not a new idea but in recent years it does seem to have forced its way back onto the agenda due to a lack of traditional employment, such as coal mining, thus robbing generations of men of their cultural identities. This collective 'crisis' has emerged through media attention on a succession of well-known men in the arts and sports worlds such as Bruce Springsteen, Stormzy, Professor Green and Rio Ferdinand, who share in common a strong sense of masculine identification. In addition, all have openly discussed the healing and relief experienced by embracing the vulnerable, emotional aspects of themselves, or what has been historically characterized as the anima archetype in Jungian psychology. This essay will recount some of their stories of struggle as they have bravely spoken up about their mental health issues, perhaps diminishing, by example, the erroneous notion of depression as a 'woman's problem'. As noted, in recent times we have witnessed a proliferation of famous men speaking out about their emotional difficulties, often in the context of loss and depression, thus providing potential role-modelling for a more expanded view of contemporary masculinity. This paper attempts to consider the tendency amongst a particular type of modern man who is both traditionally macho and simultaneously emotionally articulate with the capacity to open up about the experiences of their inner worlds and the environmental pressures they face in a fast-paced and ever-changing world. Beginning with some brief stories about the men listed above, the primary focus will be on the work of the UK cross-dressing artist and Turner Prize winner (2003) Grayson Perry (b. 1960), by studying his unusual and highly creative clarion call to challenge modern men to recalibrate their emotional behaviour and to speak openly about loss and emotional difficulty. As readers will see, he has developed a unique method that includes filmed, televised interactional interviews with various individuals and groups and he then produces art pieces that embody what has transpired through his engagement with their suffering and real-life dilemmas. This highly creative process offers a double or even triple containment for those struggling with all-too-human pain via the holding interview with him directly; the artwork that he creates as a result; and then through the recording on film that is shared with television audiences who are deeply affected by what they witness and who perhaps find a form of healing via identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid waste management is emerging as a big environmental issue in the world. This has direct link with consumption and generation. The problem is more serious in urban and tourist towns where its management is done through traditional and obsolete methods. Leh town of Ladakh being a tourist town has witnessed a huge influx in tourist arrivals, which at times outnumber the local population. As a result huge amount of waste is generated in a short span of time, intensifying environmental pollution and also providing breeding ground for flies, rodents and stray dogs, which repel the aesthetic appeal of the destination. This study was carried out with the aim to ameliorate this menace by identifying optimal locations for a landfill site. The suitability of the locations were evaluated in relation to socio-economic variables employing buffering, erase and weighted overlay analysis techniques in GIS environment. The criteria were assigned weights and ranks to arrive at decision making process. The methodology successfully isolated all sensitive land uses i.e. airport, built up, plantation, agriculture, etc. by defining a desired buffer around them. Finally, seven potential sites were identified that can be considered for landfill. All of these sites have good road connectivity. Three of them have a relatively large size but being located on alluvial tracts are moderately suitable. In terms of slope and geology, only two sites can be considered. The methodology used in this study can not only be helpful in locating the appropriate sites for waste disposal but also other critical facilities in Leh town and can also be replicated in other towns in order to ensure sustainable environmental management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environment and social reporting need to be done in a comprehensively way. Integrated reporting provided opportunities to integrate social and environmental aspects with traditional financial reporting. This research trys to add a new improvement in scoring integrated reporting. A new scoring system consisted of 39 indicators derived from integrated reporting components. This system also provides scoring ranging from none to excellent. This scoring system might be used in the future by companies, auditors, or regulators in conjunction with assessing the quality of the integrated report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to promote the use of student-centered learning environments in STEM education have been tempered by a lack of professional development strategies that help faculty overcome common barriers to reform. This study investigated the impact that adopting a suite of student-centered teaching materials had on the teaching practices and beliefs of eight geoscience faculty at a variety of US institutions. Each instructor adopted 18 class lessons that were developed as part of the InTeGrate (Interdisciplinary Teaching about the Earth for a Sustainable Future) project into a semester-long course. The Teaching Practices Inventory (TPI) and Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) were used to collect data on teaching practices whereas instructor beliefs were captured with the Teacher Beliefs Interview (TBI). Data were collected over three semesters, a control semester using traditional materials, a pilot semester using the new materials, and a final treatment semester. While the TPI survey showed no self-reported changes in the practices, RTOP observations recorded the incorporation of more student-centered teaching practices. TBI results confirm that most of the instructors also made at least moderate shifts toward more student-centered beliefs about teaching and learning. These findings demonstrate that the adoption of well-crafted, student-centered instructional materials can have a positive impact on both the teaching practices and beliefs of college faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reconstruction of gene regulatory networks based on gene expression data can effectively uncover regulatory relationships between genes and provide a deeper understanding of biological control processes. Non-linear dependence is a common problem in the regulatory mechanisms of gene regulatory networks. Various methods based on information theory have been developed to infer networks. However, the methods have introduced many redundant regulatory relationships in the network inference process. A recent measurement method called distance correlation has, in many cases, shown strong and computationally efficient non-linear correlations. In this paper, we propose a novel regulatory network inference method called the distance-correlation and network topology centrality network (DCNTC) method. The method is based on and extends the Local Density Measurement of Network Node Centrality (LDCNET) algorithm, which has the same choice of network centrality ranking as the LDCNET algorithm, but uses a simpler and more efficient distance correlation measure of association between genes. In this work, we integrate distance correlation and network topological centrality into the reasoning about the structure of gene regulatory networks. We will select optimal thresholds based on the characteristics of the distribution of each gene pair in relation to distance correlation. Experiments were carried out on four network datasets and their performance was compared.

Microalgae are considered an interesting candidate for the sustainable production of edible oils. Because microalgae contain abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and have high photosynthetic rates and high oil productivity, they are superior to terrestrial oleaginous crops for producing edible oils. Microalgae are cultivated in aquatic environments, and thus, oil extraction methods for microalgae must consider the influence of water. This paper provides an overview of the suitability of microalgal lipid compositions and proposes a selection of species for edible oil production. The numerous technologies currently available for pretreatment, wet extraction and the refining of edible oils from microalgae are collated and presented, with a primary focus on the key parameters influencing process performance. Furthermore, the paper presents a proposed solution for a microalgae integrated system for edible oil production, which is a possible future direction to develop an economical and environmentally friendly process for the resource utilization of microalgal biomass. Practical Application: Microalgae might be the most promising source of edible oils, with potential applications in food industrialization, due to its rich oil content and its characteristic fatty acid composition. The review provides a selection criterion of microalgal species to help researchers exploit microalgae to produce superior edible oils for human consumption. Various process parameters and wet extraction methods are discussed that may be conducive to improving process performance and achieving high oil recovery yields. By considering the maximum utilization of microalgal biomass, an integrated system in this review would assist in economical production during further studies. Microalgae are the most promising candidates for edible oil production. Cell disruption, extraction, and refining are important processes for microalgal oils and on this basis, wet extraction and resource utilization can further promote the economic feasibility of microalgal process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance random access memories (RRAM) or memristors with an analog change of conductance are widely explored as an artificial synapse, e.g., Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (PCMO) RRAM-based synapses. In addition to synapses, scaled neurons are essential to enable a neuromorphic hardware. In this letter, we propose a PCMO RRAM for integrate and fire (IF) neuron. The analog conductance increase during SET process enables integration function. Upon exceeding a conductance threshold (i.e., fire) during a READ operation, a hard RESET is performed to reduce the conductance. The SET, READ, and RESET are performed in different phases of a clock to enable a PCMO for IF neuron. The availability of a non-volatile PCMO-based synapse makes PCMO for IF neuron attractive. Finally, PCMO-based neuron in spiking neural network yields software-equivalent classification accuracy as demonstrated on standard Fischer’s Iris flower data set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How should recovery be understood in the aftermath of a major incident? Bringing together the appropriate resources can be a challenge in its own right. How should one understand the complex needs of the affected community? What do those working in recovery need to implement to ensure a fully integrated recovery operation? When trying to formulate a recovery plan, what lessons have been learned from previous incidents? This paper suggests some points for consideration and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]