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Ελευθερία Γιακουμάκη: Αναστασίου Καραναστάση «Ιστορικόν Λεξικόν των ελληνικών ιδιωμάτων της Κάτω Ιταλίας»
No full textExploring the effective leadership among women in light of the «Queen Bee Phenomenon»
No full textΗ ηγεσία, ως πολύπλοκο ζήτημα, περιλαμβάνει άρρητα γνωστικά πρότυπα που διαμορφώνουν τις αντιλήψεις των υφισταμένων για την αποτελεσματικότητα των ηγετών. Το «Φαινόμενο της Βασίλισσας Μέλισσας» αποτελεί στρατηγική ανέλιξης γυναικών σε ανδροκρατούμενα περιβάλλοντα υιοθετώντας τρία μοτίβα: αποστασιοποίηση από νεότερες γυναίκες, αφομοίωση στην ομάδα κύρους και νομιμοποίηση της υφιστάμενης κατάστασης στους οργανισμούς. Σκοπός της παρούσας έρευνας είναι να διερευνήσει ποια εκ των τριών διαστάσεων του φαινομένου της «Βασίλισσας Μέλισσας» γίνεται αντιληπτή από τις εργαζόμενες ως πιο σημαντική στην αποτελεσματικότητα της ηγεσίας της προϊσταμένης. Ακολουθήθηκε ένας εντός των ατόμων ερευνητικός σχεδιασμός και αξιοποιήθηκε η μέθοδος των υποθετικών σεναρίων, στα οποία μεταβάλλονταν τα επίπεδα των ανεξάρτητων μεταβλητών και απαντήθηκαν από 131 εργαζόμενες γυναίκες. Τα αποτελέσματα της παλινδρόμησης με ανθεκτικά τυπικά σφάλματα ανέδειξαν ότι και οι τρεις διαστάσεις: αποστασιοποίηση, αφομοίωση και νομιμοποίηση έχουν αρνητική και στατιστικά σημαντική επίδραση στην αποτελεσματική ηγεσία, ενώ φάνηκε ότι η επίδραση της αποστασιοποίησης στην αποτελεσματική ηγεσία μειώνεται όταν η νομιμοποίηση είναι υψηλή. Τελικά, αναδείχθηκε η άμεση συσχέτιση των τριών μοτίβων συμπεριφοράς της προϊσταμένης με την αναποτελεσματική ηγεσία, όπως γίνεται αντιληπτή από τις υφιστάμενες. Εν κατακλείδι, τα ευρήματα της παρούσας έρευνας μπορούν να αξιοποιηθούν για την δυνητική ανάπτυξη προληπτικών προγραμμάτων παρέμβασης, καθώς και στην ολιστική κατανόηση του φαινομένου.Leadership, as a complex issue, involves implicit cognitive schemas that shape subordinates’ perceptions of leader effectiveness. The “Queen Bee Phenomenon” represents a strategy for women's advancement in male-dominated environments by adopting three behavioral patterns: distancing from younger women, assimilating into the dominant group, and legitimizing the existing organizational status quo. The aim of the present study is to investigate which of these three dimensions is perceived by female employees as the most significant in determining their supervisor’s leadership effectiveness. A within-subjects research design was employed, utilizing the method of hypothetical scenarios in which the levels of the independent variables varied and were evaluated by 131 female employees. The results of regression analysis with robust standard errors revealed that all three dimensions—distancing, assimilation, and legitimization—have a negative and statistically significant impact on perceived leadership effectiveness. Additionally, it was found that the negative impact of distancing on leadership effectiveness decreases when legitimization is high. The study highlighted a direct association between the three behavioral patterns of the supervisor and perceived ineffective leadership. In conclusion, the findings of this research may be utilized for the potential development of preventive intervention programs, as well as for a holistic understanding of the phenomenon
GenAI for speech writing in the training of Maltese conference interpreters for the European Union
No full textThe present paper explores the potential of GenAI tools in generating speeches to prepare for the European Union’s interinstitutional accreditation test. A small-scale experimental empirical study was conducted in which interpreting students were instructed to annotate, critically assess and compare English and Maltese speeches generated by three GenAI tools, viz., Gemini, Copilot and ChatGPT, to be used for beginner consecutive interpretation practice. The GenAI tools were prompted to generate three English and three Maltese speeches modelled on those in the European Commission’s Speech Repository. The analysis focuses on compliance with the prompt, suitability for purpose and linguistic output quality. The results indicate that, upon initial analysis, the speeches in both languages satisfy many of the criteria in the prompt. However, more thorough scrutiny reveals that the speeches may prove challenging for trainees to interpret, primarily due to their poor argumentative structure, low factual density, lack of clear links and intent, and low terminological complexity. In addition, the speech topics are excessively simplistic, not well-researched and insufficiently nuanced. The differences between English, a high-resource language, and Maltese, a low-resource language, are minimal. The main discrepancy between the two is the higher number of linguistic errors in Maltese. Overall, the results indicate that the speeches in both languages require extensive post-editing to meet their intended use
Diversity and species richness of moths in urban green spaces across Guwahati metropolitan city of Assam, India
No full textMoths form a unique group within the order Lepidoptera, playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. Due to their sensitivity to environmental changes, they act as reliable bioindicators, helping ecologists detect even minor ecological disruptions. Guwahati, the largest city in North East India, has undergone substantial urbanization and environmental changes during the recent years. This study aims to assess the potential effects of urbanization on the diversity and species richness of moths within the urban areas of the city. During the course of the study, 168 individual moths were found in the study area. The Shannon-Weiner diversity index values for moth diversity were 2.47 for Hatigaon, 2.133 for Noonmati, and 1.89 for Lokhra, while the Simpson diversity index values 0.093 for Hatigaon, 0.134 for Noonmati, and 0.153 for Lokhra. The Margalef index was highest in Hatigaon (3.040), followed by Noonmati (2.378), and finally Lokhra (1.518). The Pielou Index values were 1 for Hatigaon, 0.96 for Noonmati, and 0.85 for Lokhra. Given the stark contrast between the city's environment and the surrounding natural habitats, understanding the moth fauna in Guwahati can provide valuable insights into the impact of urbanization on local biodiversity
A Preliminary checklist of Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) in a small part of Madugundi, Karnataka, India
No full textA preliminary study was conducted in a small area of Madugundi village, Western Ghats, Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka, India, to document Odonata diversity. The author recorded 67 species of odonates belonging to 10 families. This study aims to aid understanding the region's biodiversity and highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation strategies to protect the freshwater ecosystems and their unique Odonata assemblages from ongoing environmental threats
Molecular and Phylogenetic Characterization of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus Re-emerging in Backyard Poultry in Pakistan: IBD Virus Re-emergence in Pakistan
No full textIn recent periods, Infectious bursal disease (IBD) has re-emerged with virulent strains, resulting in significant losses to the economy of Pakistan. IBD is caused by a virus of the species Avibirna, causing severe immune suppression, and accompanying other secondary infections. A total of one hundred and ten birds were selected with a history of IBD infection from three different government diagnostic labs and private farms. After the necropsy, the samples were processed for histopathology, and only selected positive samples from histopathology were processed for molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis. According to our findings, the bursa of Fabricius during the necropsy was edematous, hemorrhagic, and enlarged in size, along with haemorrhages on the pectoral muscles and the gizzard and proventriculus junction. The histopathological examinations of 20 samples revealed that the virus severely affected the bursa as there were atrophic, necrotic changes, increased interfollicular spaces, and replacement of fibrous cells. Then 12 samples were confirmed through RT-PCR by amplifying HVR-VP2. The samples were sequenced to analyze the nucleotide sequence of the IBD virus, referring to ‘‘UVAS-01’’ as a predominant, virulent strain from the samples obtained from the backyard poultry. The obtained data from the sequence were analyzed with the reported strains of Pakistan and other parts of the world. The similarity index for ‘‘UVAS-1’’ was 98-100% with the reported vvIBDV strains in Pakistan, while there was a 92-100 % identity index for the very virulent strains prevalent in other regions of the globe. Through phylogenic trees, it was first identified vvIBDV strain in the southeast part of Punjab, Pakistan, in the backyard poultry. Further work is required to study the reassortment in local strains for the emergence of vvIBD in indigenous breed farming
Cardiac Biomarkers in Cryptosporidium-Induced Diarrhea: Evaluating Sepsis-Associated Myocardial Dysfunction in Calves
No full textThe aim was to investigate the relationship between cardiovascular damage and sepsis in calves infected with Cryptosporidium spp. and to evaluate the efficacies of certain biomarkers. 21 calves were selected from 133 calves under the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Diarrheic calves with (n=7) and without sepsis (n=7) all affected by Cryptosporidium spp., and clinically healthy calves (n=7) were studied. The diagnostic efficacies of NT-proBNP and cTnI concentrations were evaluated across three groups. cTnI concentration exhibited significant differences among all the groups (p<0.001), with the highest level observed in the Sepsis group (256.13±88.23 pg/mL). The serum NT-proBNP concentration was highest in the sepsis group (162.12 ± 117.52 pg/mL). A statistically significant difference was observed between the sepsis and healthy groups (25.58 ± 13.24 pg/mL), as well as between the non-sepsis (112.39 ± 54.99 pg/mL) and healthy groups. Cardiovascular disorders may occur in neonatal diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium spp., even without sepsis. When treating calf diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium spp., it is crucial to consider cardiac involvement during prognosis evaluation and treatment planning
Effect of dietary guanidinoacetic acid supplementation on antiox idant status, biochemical parameters, inflammation cytokines and growth performance in broiler chickens
No full textThis study examined the effects of dietary guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) on biochemical parameters, antioxidant status and inflammatory responses of chicks. Three hundred 1-d-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to fifteen pens containing 20 chicks each, which was subjected to one of three dietary treatments supplemented with different levels of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) at levels of (control, 0, 6 and 9 g/kg). On day 42, 2 birds per cage were weighed and euthanized, and samples were collected. Dietary GAA in 6 and 9 g/kg supplementation depressed growth performance (reduced feed intake & weight gain and increased feed conversion ratio) than broilers in the control group. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity, and creatinine & urea levels showed a marked significant (P<0.05) increase in 6 and 9 g/kg groups supplemented groups compared to the control group. Also, high levels of GAA significantly reduced serum Nitric oxide levels without affecting cholesterol and triglyceride. Malondialdehyde (MDA) markedly increased along with a significant decrease of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and in serum and liver, and catalase (CAT) in serum in both 6 and 9g/kg groups compared to control group. None of the serum and liver inflammatory parameters were affected by high levels of GAA. In conclusion, high levels of dietary GAA supplementation can induced oxidative stress by increasing lipid peroxidation and decreasing antioxidant function in broiler chickens
Exploring the world of quantum materials
No full textIntroduction
The properties of materials obey the rules of physics, except when they don’t. Quantum materials is an umbrella term used to include all materials that have properties that cannot be explained by classical physics. Quantum materials are fascinating, because they are the brick stones of future innovations.
What are Quantum Materials
Quantum Materials are materials that exhibit behaviours known in quantum mechanics, that is entanglement, quantum interference and topology. Entanglement is when particles remain correlated regardless of distance. Quantum interference means that in superposition that is when particles can exist in multiple states simultaneously, these states can interfere with each other. Topology is a new fundamental organization principle in addition to symmetry, because quantum states depend on global geometry and not in local symmetry.
It is very interesting to note that their electrons can behave collectively in exotic ways., because there is a strong electron correlation, as electrons do not act independently but interact strongly. For example, electrons in a viscous flow can achieve through cooperation what they cannot accomplish individually. In 2017 research reported signatures of fluid-like electron behaviour in graphene[1]. Electrons in the current were able to squeeze through the pinch points collectively, much like a fluid, rather than clogging, like individual grains of sand.
Most of the quantum materials are solid, such as graphene, cuprates and topological insulators. There are though also non solids like H2S under high pressure which is a superconductor, Bose-Einstein Condensates and Fermi Gases.
Examples of Quantum Materials
Graphene is a 2D quantum material. This means that it consists of only one layer of atoms (some 2D materials are two atoms thick). So graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal pattern. Supposedly one can create graphene at home with just the use of scotch tape, a pencil and lots of patience to repeat the procedure with the tape until the required thickness is achieved. At least this is how Professors Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov managed to isolate it for the first time[2]. Graphene is an amazing material because it is considerably more resistant than steel and lighter than aluminium. Ever since 2004 when it was first isolated it is used in sensors, electronics, batteries and other innovations.
Cuprates are also very interesting. They were discovered in 1986 they are layered materials with one or more crystal planes consisting of Cu and O atoms (two O per Cu), and charge reservoirs between them.
Superconductivity
The Cuprates mentioned above are amazing superconductors. In superconductors, below a critical temperature, resistance drops to zero. Electrons form Cooper pairs via lattice vibrations (phonons). These pairs condense into a single quantum state that flows without energy loss.
The Meissner effect expels magnetic fields from the superconductor's interior.
This practically means that these materials are ideal conductors as they conduct electricity without resistance at low temperatures[3].
Their applications include but are not limited to Maglev trains, MRI machines, Quantum circuits.
Topological Insulators
The bulk is insulating, but surfaces host conducting states protected by topology, or in short insulating inside conductive on the outside[4]. These edge states arise due to band inversion and spin-orbit coupling. Surface electrons have locked spin-momentum, resisting scattering and disorder. Topology guarantees robustness of surface conduction under perturbations. This means that the conductivity is protected even in case of surface impurities. Topological insulators are used in Quantum computing and in spintronics, which is a new field of electronics that uses the spin of electrons to create new devices.
Uses of Quantum Materials
Spintronic devices have advantages like higher speed, less power consumption and some memory devices can even retain information even when powered off. In sensors quantum materials offer higher precision magnetometers and gyroscopes. Superconducting cables reduce energy loss in transmission. Quantum materials are especially useful in quantum computing. QLEDs and QRLEDS have sharper colours and better efficiency[5].
The Future
Every day scientists around the world discover new quantum materials with unexpected properties that might very soon change fundamentally our technology. Reading about these wonderful discoveries, such as the Nodal Line Semimetals which exhibit nonsymmorphic symmetry and could be the next day of power devices and computers is interesting and opens a window to look into the future.
[1] https://news.mit.edu/2022/electron-whirlpools-physics-0706
[2] https://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/learn/discovery-of-graphene/
[3] https://hoffman.physics.harvard.edu/materials/organic/background.php
[4] https://spectrum.ieee.org/a-beginners-guide-to-topological-materials
[5] https://hkust.edu.hk/news/hkusts-next-gen-qrleds-transform-smartphone-tvs-ultra-bright-and-color-rich-displaysQuantum materials possess exotic properties which are due to quantum mechanical effects. These properties encompass superconductivity, topological properties, and strong electron correlations, among others.
The main types of quantum materials are superconductors, topological insulators, and quantum spin liquids. Each of these exhibits exotic phenomena that classical physics cannot explain.
Superconductors offer zero resistance to electricity beneath a critical temperature, revolutionizing applications like MRI machines and maglev trains.
Topological Insulators are mainly insulators but conduct on the surface, protected by topological order, with applications in quantum computing. Quantum materials may enable breakthroughs in energy transmission, sensors, and quantum computing, with revolutionary technology spanning industries. Quantum materials bridge condensed matter physics and emerging technologies, opening up new possibilities for discovery and industrial development
Multimodal and visual literacy: the contribution of image to geographical literacy in the education of adult learners in Second Chance Schools
No full textΑποτελεί πλέον δεδομένο ότι η διδασκαλία της γεωγραφίας μεταβαίνει σταδιακά από τις παραδοσιακές μεθόδους διδασκαλίας, οι οποίες βασίζονταν κυρίως στη χρήση σχολικών εγχειριδίων, προφορικής αφήγησης και απομνημόνευσης, σε μια πιο σύγχρονη προσέγγιση που δίνει έμφαση στον οπτικό γραμματισμό και αξιοποιεί τις δυνατότητες του ψηφιακού κόσμου. Η ενσωμάτωση εικόνων, χαρτών, γραφημάτων, διαδραστικών εφαρμογών και πολυμεσικού υλικού ενισχύει την κατανόηση της γεωγραφικής γνώσης, καθώς οι μαθητές δεν περιορίζονται πλέον στη θεωρητική παρουσίαση εννοιών, αλλά έχουν την ευκαιρία να αλληλεπιδράσουν με το διδακτικό περιεχόμενο. Στο παραπάνω πλαίσιο, στόχος της παρούσας έρευνας είναι η μελέτη της άποψης εκπαιδευτικών Σχολείων Δεύτερης Ευκαιρίας, ανεξαρτήτως ειδικότητας και δεξιοτήτων, για τη χρήση εικόνας στην εισαγωγή θεμάτων σχετικών με τη γεωγραφία. Για τις ανάγκες της έρευνας υιοθετήθηκε μικτή μεθοδολογία. Στην ποσοτική έρευνα χρησιμοποιήθηκε ερωτηματολόγιο, με κύρια ερωτήματα την έννοια, τη χρήση και τον τρόπο εισαγωγής εργαλείων οπτικού γραμματισμού στα ΣΔΕ, τη συμβολή τους στην κατανόηση γεωγραφικών θεμάτων και την εξέλιξη της χρήσης τους κατά την εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευση (Νοέμβριος 2020 – Απρίλιος 2021). Το δείγμα αποτέλεσαν 120 εκπαιδευτικοί για την ποσοτική και 12 για την ποιοτική έρευνα (ημιδομημένες συνεντεύξεις). Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν ότι το 70% χρησιμοποιεί ποικίλα εργαλεία (χάρτες, φωτογραφίες, σκίτσα, έντυπα μέσα). Το 92,7% θεωρεί απαραίτητη τη διαθεματική διδασκαλία, ενώ το 86,7% είναι θετικό στην ενσωμάτωση γεωγραφικών ενοτήτων ακόμη και εκτός ειδικότητας. Το 85% κρίνει αναγκαία τη χρήση λογισμικών και εφαρμογών, ενώ για το 75% η συμμετοχή των εκπαιδευομένων ενισχύεται με εικόνα και ήχο. Οι εκπαιδευτικοί αναγνωρίζουν βελτίωση με την τηλεκπαίδευση, αλλά και σοβαρές ελλείψεις σε ψηφιακό εξοπλισμό. Επισημαίνεται ανάγκη υλικοτεχνικής υποστήριξης, απλούστευσης υλικού, ενισχυτικής διδασκαλίας και επιμόρφωσης για προσεγγίσεις εκπαίδευσης ενηλίκων. Η τηλεκπαίδευση μείωσε το άγχος καθυστερήσεων, όμως η έλλειψη άμεσης διάδρασης παραμένει μειονέκτημα. Συμπερασματικά, προτείνεται υβριδικό μοντέλο (δια ζώσης και εξ αποστάσεως) ώστε να διευρυνθεί η συμμετοχή στα ΣΔΕ και να αξιοποιηθούν τα οφέλη ισοδύναμου απολυτηρίου γυμνασίου.It is now a given that the teaching of geography is gradually transitioning from traditional teaching methods, which were mainly based on the use of school textbooks, oral narration and memorization, to a more modern approach that emphasizes visual literacy and utilizes the possibilities of the digital world. The integration of images, maps, graphs, interactive applications and multimedia material enhances the understanding of geographical knowledge, as students are no longer limited to the theoretical presentation of concepts, but have the opportunity to interact with the teaching content. In the above context, the aim of this research is to study the view of Second Chance School (SCS) teachers, regardless of specialty and skills, on the use of images in the introduction of topics related to geography. For the needs of the research, a mixed methodology was adopted. A questionnaire was used in the quantitative research, with main questions on the concept, use and method of introducing visual literacy tools in SDEs, their contribution to the understanding of geographical topics and the evolution of their use during distance learning (November 2020 – April 2021). The sample consisted of 120 teachers for the quantitative research and 12 for the qualitative research (semi-structured interviews). The results show that 70% use a variety of tools (maps, photographs, sketches, printed media)., Also, 92.7% consider interdisciplinary teaching necessary, while 86.7% are positive about the integration of geographical units even outside the specialty. 85% consider the use of software and applications necessary, while for 75% the participation of learners is enhanced with image and sound. Teachers recognize improvement with distance learning, but also serious deficiencies in digital equipment. The need for logistical support, simplification of materials, remedial teaching and training for adult education approaches is highlighted. Distance learning has reduced the stress of delays, but the lack of direct interaction remains a disadvantage. In conclusion, a hybrid model (in person and remotely) is proposed in order to broaden participation in SCS and to exploit the benefits of an equivalent high school diploma