21st Century Research Articles

Mining industry development, enforcement intensity of security policy and intra-city development disparity

China, the world's largest developing country, is rich in mineral resources, albeit unevenly distributed geographically. Some cities with a surplus of mineral resources may form path dependence on these natural resource industries, leading to imbalanced urban development and widening development disparities within cities. However, in the event of safety incidents in the mining industry, local governments are compelled to regulate the excessive development of the mining sector and enhance the enforcement intensity of safety production policies. This study, based on the measurement of the Gini coefficient using nighttime light data for 281 prefecture-level cities in China, manually compiled the locations and death tolls of mining industry production safety incidents from 2001 to 2020, established an empirical analysis framework based on the instrumental variable two-stage least squares method. The research findings indicate: (1) Since the beginning of the 21st century, China's mining industry has experienced significant growth propelled by market-oriented reforms. However, it has also played a notable role in widening development disparities within cities. Robust results were obtained through instrumental variable estimation using the standard deviation of urban ground slope as a geographical indicator. (2) The occurrence of safety incidents in the mining industry will immediately escalate the enforcement intensity of regional safety policies, creating a significant inhibitory impact on alleviating the widening development disparities within cities caused by the expansion of the mining industry. In the case of larger safety incidents with a death toll of 3 or more, this impact will become even more pronounced. (3) Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the outlined mechanism is prominently present in the middle area, where the mining industry is relatively developed. In contrast, there is no significant correlation between the occurrence of safety accidents and the escalation of safety policy implementation intensity in the economically developed eastern region and the western region with lower levels of infrastructure development. However, in cities with a higher proportion of the mining industry, the aforementioned relationships remain stable. (4) Once a mining accident involving fatalities occurs in a prefecture-level city, local governments generally strengthen the enforcement of safety policies, comprehensively eliminate hidden dangers in production safety. This shift leads to a reversal in the impact of the mining industry on the development disparity within the city, changing from an expansion to a reduction effect. Moreover, this reduction effect persists for five years. In the case of a serious safety production incident resulting in 10 or more deaths, the impact of increased implementation of safety policies also extends for a prolonged period of five years. This article makes a clear marginal contribution to enrich the study on the effects of China's mining industry safety policies.

Language Acquisition Games: Its Effects on the Students’ Oral Language Skills

Facing the 21st century English language learners today marks a bit change and a formation of strategized teaching methodology on how facilitators must uphold and seek highest form of learning. K to 12 curriculum aims to acquire highly- developed language skills, with this, teachers must find ways to uplift the oral proficiency level of students as one key component of a well- developed communicative competence. This study investigates using pre-test post- test experimental design to elucidate the level of oral language skills of 60 heterogeneous oral- expressive students prior to and after the administration of the language acquisition games along comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. It also identified the significant differences on each aspect. Qualitative descriptive analysis and in- depth observation was used to identify the learning behaviours manifested by the oral- expressive students. Face- to- face ESL pre- and post- oral assessment was undertaken by the respondents and a Stanford FLOSEM (Foreign Language Oral Skills Evaluation Matrix) rubric was utilized to assess oral- expressive students’ level of oral- language skills by an expert validator. Analyses of data revealed an increase of one level from the pre- test to post- test result after the administration of the 30-40 days language acquisition games intervention. Further, there is also a significant difference between pre- and post- test along each aspect of oral language skills and identified seven learning behaviors seen in the viewpoint of the students namely; active engagement through rewards and punishments, everyone made effort to be involved in the game, properly guided through rules given time under pressure, given chance to speak during class discussion, develop inquisitive thinking through answering HOTS questions, and overcome ridicules, boosting confidence. Thus, the researcher devised an output entitled “Language Acquisition Games: A Kit towards Effective Oral Communication Skills for Grade 8 Students” to develop speaking skills of students. Curriculum developers, materials developer and language institutes might integrate these language games into an English language classroom to at least enhance students’ oral language skills.

A Retrospective Study of Sexual Minority Women’s Gendered Sexuality: Butch and Femme Sex at the Turn of the 21st Century

This study is a retrospective examination of how sexual minority women have experienced their sexuality. The analysis examined a national archival dataset that was collected online in the US and Canada to examine the relationship between gender and sexuality in 1084 sexual minority women in 2003, with a focus on butch and femme identities. It provided an understanding of how gender and sexuality interacted at the turn of the last century when the gender identity landscape differed from that of today. While this study collected data from butch and femme women approximately 20-years ago, the results have implications for how we develop situated understandings of the relationship between gender and sexuality. Findings indicated gendered patterns in sexual preferences and attraction that can shed light on how gender and sexuality have evolved in connection. At the same time, there were no differences in sexual satisfaction, which suggests that the enactment of gendered sexuality (in which attraction is structured by a gender dynamic) was experienced as empowering rather than oppressive. We examine our findings in relation to current scholarship on gendered sexuality to consider how sexuality is constructed and reconstructed across time. The findings support a view of gendered sexuality as a source of pleasure, affirmation, and positive embodiment. We theorize gendered sexuality as functioning to enhance experiences of authenticity and resist heteronormativity. The study holds implications for research on the interaction of gender and sexuality.

Wildfire Burnt Area and Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions under Future Climate Change Scenarios in the Mediterranean: Developing a Robust Estimation Approach

Wildfires burn annually over 400,000 ha in Mediterranean countries. By the end of the 21st century, wildfire Burnt Area (BA) and associated Green House Gas (GHG) emissions may double to triple due to climate change. Regional projections of future BA are urgently required to update wildfire policies. We present a robust methodology for estimating regional wildfire BA and GHG emissions under future climate change scenarios in the Mediterranean. The Fire Weather Index, selected drought indices, and meteorological variables were correlated against BA/GHG emissions data to create area-specific statistical projection models. State-of-the-art regional climate models (horizontal resolution: 12 km), developed within the EURO-CORDEX initiative, simulated data under three climate change scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5) up to 2070. These data drove the statistical models to estimate future wildfire BA and GHG emissions in three pilot areas in Greece, Montenegro, and France. Wildfire BA is projected to increase by 20% to 130% up to 2070, depending on the study area and climate scenario. The future expansion of fire-prone areas into the north Mediterranean and mountain environments is particularly alarming, given the large biomass present here. Fire-smart landscape management may, however, greatly reduce the projected future wildfire BA and GHG increases.

The 21st Century Cures Act: More Harm Than Good for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence?

The 21st Century Cures Act requires that health organizations make all medical records rapidly available to patients through secure online portals. Referred to as "open notes," this approach is intended to improve health outcomes by facilitating easier and more transparent communication between patients and providers. For patients experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), however, open notes can create serious safety risks to their physical and mental health when not handled carefully. This clinical note aims to raise awareness of how open notes can be harmful in IPV situations, provide a set of evidence-informed recommendations on how healthcare providers and institutions can help to mitigate this harm, and outline areas for future research.

Enhancing university students' learning performance in a metaverse‐enabled immersive learning environment for STEM education: A community of inquiry approach

AbstractThe research paper explores the use of a metaverse‐enabled immersive learning environment (MeILE) guided by the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to enhance university student interactions and collaboration. The platform integrates various components, including avatar usage, multimodality, and gamification, with careful consideration of each CoI element to maximize students' immersive interactions and collaboration in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning contexts. By aligning activities with Bloom's digital taxonomy, the metaverse environment aims to improve STEM learning outcomes. A case study conducted at a university demonstrated the successful implementation of essential CoI elements, leading to increased student engagement and improved learning performance. Results indicate MeILE facilitates interactive, reflective, constructive, and self‐regulated learning, which are essential for developing STEM and 21st century skills. The study emphasizes the teacher's role as a facilitator in fostering self‐directed learning, and cultivating 21st‐century skills through collaborative learning activities in virtual environment. The research underscores the importance of innovative educational tools in adapting to the evolving landscape of education in the digital age.

Navigating the Curriculum Landscape: The Impact of Curriculum 2013 and Merdeka Curriculum on Teachers' and Students' Learning Outcomes in Indonesia

This study explores the impact of implementing the 2013 Curriculum and the Independent Curriculum on teachers and student learning outcomes in Indonesia. The 2013 curriculum is designed to improve the competencies of 21st century students through a scientific approach and project-based learning. However, its implementation is limited, including the lack of teacher readiness and adequate infrastructure. On the other hand, the Independent Curriculum offers a more flexible and student-centered approach, focusing on character development and life skills. This study uses a mixed approach, involving surveys and in-depth interviews to analyze the perceptions of teachers and students from different regions. The study results show that the Independent Curriculum significantly increases student motivation and engagement, especially through a project-based learning approach. And more than 50% of teachers agree that the integration in independent curriculum is is more effective in helping teachers to design more effective in learning.. However, the main challenge in implementing this curriculum is the resource gap, especially in remote areas. Many teachers also have difficulty adjusting to more innovative teaching methods, although they welcome the flexibility offered by this curriculum. The study concludes that while the Independent Curriculum has the potential to improve the quality of learning, its success is highly dependent on the support of more intensive teacher training and the improvement of educational infrastructure. The main recommendation is the need for more focused efforts to ensure equal access to education and increase teacher capacity throughout Indonesia.

Cross-Disciplinary Rapid Scoping Review of Structural Racial and Caste Discrimination Associated with Population Health Disparities in the 21st Century

A cross-disciplinary rapid scoping review was carried out, generally following the PRISMA-SCR protocol to examine historical racial and caste-based discrimination as structural determinants of health disparities in the 21st century. We selected 48 peer-reviewed full-text articles available from the University of Memphis Libraries database search, focusing on three selected case-study countries: the United States (US), Canada, and Nepal. The authors read each article, extracted highlights, and tabulated the thematic contents on structural health disparities attributed to racism or casteism. The results link historical racism/casteism to health disparities occurring in Black and African American, Native American, and other ethnic groups in the US; in Indigenous peoples and other visible minorities in Canada; and in the Dalits of Nepal, a population racialized by caste, grounded on at least four foundational theories explaining structural determinants of health disparities. The evidence from the literature indicates that genetic variations and biological differences (e.g., disease prevalence) occur within and between races/castes for various reasons (e.g., random gene mutations, geographic isolation, and endogamy). However, historical races/castes as socio-cultural constructs have no inherently exclusive basis of biological differences. Disregarding genetic discrimination based on pseudo-scientific theories, genetic testing is a valuable scientific means to achieve the better health of the populations. Epigenetic changes (e.g., weathering—the early aging of racialized women) due to the DNA methylation of genes among racialized populations are markers of intergenerational trauma due to racial/caste discrimination. Likewise, chronic stresses resulting from intergenerational racial/caste discrimination cause an “allostatic load”, characterized by an imbalance of neuronal and hormonal dysfunction, leading to occurrences of chronic diseases (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, and mental health) at disproportionate rates among racialized populations. Major areas identified for reparative policy changes and interventions for eliminating the health impacts of racism/casteism include areas of issues on health disparity research, organizational structures, programs and processes, racial justice in population health, cultural trauma, equitable healthcare system, and genetic discrimination.

Impacts of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation weakening on Arctic amplification

Enhanced warming of the Arctic region relative to the rest of the globe, known as Arctic amplification, is caused by a variety of diverse factors, many of which are influenced by the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). Here, we quantify the role of AMOC changes in Arctic amplification throughout the twenty-first century by comparing two suites of climate model simulations under the same climate change scenario but with two different AMOC states: one with a weakened AMOC and another with a steady AMOC. We find that a weakened AMOC can reduce annual mean Arctic warming by 2 °C by the end of the century. A primary contributor to this reduction in warming is surface albedo feedback, related to a smaller sea ice loss due to AMOC slowdown. Another major contributor is the changes in ocean heat uptake. The weakened AMOC and its associated anomalous ocean heat transport divergence lead to increased ocean heat uptake and surface cooling. These two factors are inextricably linked on seasonal timescales, and their relative importance for Arctic amplification can vary by season. The weakened AMOC can also abate Arctic warming via lapse rate feedback, creating marked cooling from the surface to lower-to-mid troposphere while resulting in relatively weaker cooling in the upper troposphere. Additionally, the weakened AMOC increases the low-level cloud fraction over the North Atlantic warming hole, causing significant cooling there via shortwave (sw) cloud feedback despite the overall effect of sw cloud feedback being a slight warming of the average temperature over the Arctic.

Unveiling the Power of Skills: a Multifaceted Approach to Individual and Societal Transformation

Purpose: This review article aims to explore the multifaceted realm of skill development, elucidating its various dimensions and highlighting its profound impact on individuals and societies in the 21st century. Theoretical Framework: The discussion is structured around the dynamic nature of skills within the contemporary landscape, emphasizing their significance in diverse domains such as employability, economic growth, personal development, social inclusion, innovation, and global competitiveness. Methodology:The systematic review has been comprising of research papers form Impact of Skill Development and Importance of Skill Development. Followed by systematically analyzing the significance, consequences, and avenues of skill development, drawing on a wide range of literature and research findings to provide comprehensive insights. Findings: The review articulates how investing in skill development contributes not only to individual success but also to the prosperity and dynamism of economies and societies at large. It highlights the diverse pathways available for skill cultivation, including formal education, vocational training, on-the-job learning, online platforms, and apprenticeships. Implication of Work: Study advocates for a paradigm shift in the perception of skills, viewing them not merely as tools for employment but as catalysts for personal growth, societal progress, and global competitiveness. It serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, educators, and individuals seeking to navigate the complex terrain of skill development in the contemporary world.

Retraction Note: Chinese contemporary art teachers’ professional development in the 20th and 21st centuries within the multicultural framework

Retraction Note: Chinese contemporary art teachers’ professional development in the 20th and 21st centuries within the multicultural framework

Brazilian Parties in the XXI Century and the Conservative Agenda of the New Right

Conservative agenda is a fundamental component of the New Right politics in the public debate throughout the world. However, in Brazil, the conservative agenda has been advanced across the entire party system, from left to right, by new and old political parties. This paper compares proposals for constitutional amendments presented between 2001 and 2022 by federal deputies in Brazil, focusing on targeted restrictions of rights and guarantees and the tightening of law-and-order provisions. The findings show that neither new-entrant parties nor ideology predict the saliency of conservative content in parties’ constitutional activity. This analysis contributes to disentangling the conservative agenda from the concept of right-wing politics, even the New Right.

Post-Harvest Alternatives in Banana Cultivation

Banana, also known as plátano in some places, is a fruit consumed and appreciated around the world. Its scientific name is Musa paradisiaca, belonging to the Musaceae family. It is native to Southeast Asia and is currently grown in 130 countries in tropical and subtropical regions. This fruit is harvested throughout the year; 75% is generated mainly in India, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and China. Post-harvest technology enables efficient processing, storage, transportation, and distribution while preserving the quality and safety of the fruit to reduce economic losses. Currently, challenges are being investigated for post-harvest treatments to minimize the environmental impact, reduce polluting emissions, and the requirement for less energy consumption. The most-used options for bananas are de-greening, atmospheric modification, coatings, and frigoconservation, which are important for achieving safe, healthy, and high-quality food in the XXI century. This review details the post-harvest mechanical damage, handling of environmental parameters (temperature and relative humidity), control of gases involved in storage and transport, wax treatment, coatings, the use of antifungal compounds, and packaging necessary for the export of the fruit.

Die Politik von Caligari: Totalitarian Anxieties in Adaptations of Robert Weine’s Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari

Contemporary politics is filled with anxiety about the survival of democracy—particularly within a framework pitting liberal representative democracy against authoritarianism. In times of anxiety about authoritarianism, Western artists repeatedly return to a masterpiece of relatively early cinema: Robert Weine’s silent film Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari, or The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. This essay examines three twenty-first century adaptations: David Lee Fisher’s 2005 remake of the film; James Morrow’s 2017 novel, The Asylum of Dr. Caligari; and Georgie Bailey’s 2022 play Caligari. I argue that while the direct politico-cultural anxieties of Weine’s film have often been overstated, the emergence of adaptations during periods of heightened concern about authoritarianism reflects a deep-seated reception of the film as anticipating autocratic governance. However, for all its fears about power, control, and the loss of self-determination, Weine’s movie also contains the seeds of liberation. Cesare ultimately sacrifices his own life rather than murdering Jane. And it is this gesture that the adaptations examined here seek—a gesture of resistance. The sleepwalker can awaken and assert a form of just resistance in the world, even if the penalties are steep.

Marriage migration, intimacy and genre in Helen Hoang’s The Bride Test (2019) and Brigitte Bautista’s You, Me, U.S. (2019)

A significant strand of cultural and social studies research on late modernity has focused on intimacies; in particular, ‘mediated intimacies’ (Attwood et al., 2017; Barker et al., 2018; Gill, 2009), exploring how the media, in its various forms, represents and affects intimate relationships. Romance fiction, the most popular global genre, offers a key source text for exploring intimate and romantic relationships and the ways culturally and politically specific forms of intimacy are shared transnationally. Of particular interest is the increase in the twenty-first century of romantic stories that deal with the intersection of intimacy and migration. This article brings together critical work on intimacy and affect, scholarship on popular romance, and research on migration and transcultural exchange to explore how contemporary Anglophone popular romance fiction mediates intimate relationships in the context of migration. Focusing on two romance novels featuring South East Asian migration to the USA — Brigitte Bautista’s You, Me, U.S. (2019) and Helen Hoang’s The Bride Test (2019) — I explore how these novels represent marriage migration and its relationship to and impact on intimacy. Both novels are aware of existing stigmas around marriage migration (the risk of abuse or fraudulent marriage), but the association of marriage with ‘authentic’ romantic love in the romance genre ultimately serves to uphold such stigmas, rather than challenge them. The texts pay equally close attention to the performativity of romantic love, noting how heteronormative, western norms of romance are required for migrants but, in the case of You, Me, U.S., can also be queered. These texts are concerned with the movement of people and cultures while themselves travelling across borders as products of a transnational, global publishing market. These fictions, then, showcase how their particular articulations of intimacy offer new insights for scholars interested in marriage migration.

Diagnosis of TPACK in Elementary School Teachers: A Case Study in the Colombian Caribbean

Numerous studies support that the development of digital teaching competence is essential in 21st century schools. This paper examines Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) to gain a deeper understanding of ICT integration in teaching. By assessing TPACK, we uncover opportunities to enhance teacher competencies and, consequently, improve student learning. This research evaluated the initial TPACK of primary school teachers from a public school in the Colombian Caribbean. Eight teachers participated in a professional development program based on the Lesson Study (LS) methodology. Adopting an interpretive qualitative approach and a case study for the operational analysis of LS, the findings indicate that teachers, in self-reports and performance-based assessments, highlight high competence in the PK, CK, and PCK domains. This demonstrates their ability to select and adapt effective teaching strategies. They excel in guiding learning and understanding academic content, showcasing a remarkable capacity to adapt to the diverse socioeconomic realities of their students. However, these findings also highlight areas for improvement in developing the technological components of TPACK, specifically TK, TPK, TCK, TPCK, and XK.

Assessment and pre-assessment of compound hot and drought events over Yangtze River Basin

Abstract The severe compound hot and drought event (CHDE) in 2022 had serious impacts on water resources, agriculture, power supply, and ecosystems in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB). Have similar spatiotemporally overlapping compound events, like the one observed in 2022, occurred historically in the basin? How can we pre-assess the impacts of such potential events on subseasonal timescales? To address these, regional CHDEs in the YRB since 1961 were systematically identified and comprehensively assessed using a modified Intensity-Area-Duration (IAD) technique and hazard assessment method. Additionally, the subseasonal pre-assessment capability for CHDEs in the YRB using the China Meteorological Administration's third-generation climate model prediction system (CPSv3-S2S) was demonstrated. A total of 140 CHDEs occurred during 1961 to 2022, with the 21st century showing a remarkably high risk of such events. Among these, 2022 was the most intense year, with the event from July 26th to August 30th being unprecedented in severity. CPSv3-S2S effectively forecast this event’s occurrence within a 1-25 lead days, particularly in pre-assessing its extensively impacted area and high-hazard centers in the upper and middle reaches of the main river course. This pre-assessment method serves as a valuable reference in decision-making to anticipate and mitigate risks of hydropower supply shortages and heightened electricity demand during extremely high temperatures in the upstream area.

Trends in Substance Use Disorder-Related Emergency Department Visits in California: An Analysis of 46 Million Visits From 2006 to 2011.

To better understand the development of the growing opioid crisis in the early 21st century, the authors studied trends in substance use disorder among 46,132,211 emergency department (ED) visit discharges in California between 2006 and 2011. Utilizing the California State Emergency Department Database, the authors identified substance use based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Tabular and multivariable analysis methods were applied. ED visits were considered clustered at the level of patient. The authors observed a notable increase in substance use prevalence from 7.32 ± 6.07 to 12.21 ± 9.35 per 1000 ED visits. Nonopioid substance use was more prevalent among individuals aged ≤ 50 years old. Opioid use disorder (OUD) was associated with a higher mortality rate in the ED. In 2011, OUD was significantly higher among American Indians visiting the ED. A multivariable analysis revealed that OUD was an independent predictor for increased ED visits after controlling for demographic factors. Despite an overall decrease in mortality rate, opioid-related ED visits showed a higher mortality rate, underscoring the grave consequences of OUD. Nonopioid substance use was prevalent among younger age groups, suggesting a need for age-specific interventions. A major finding was the elevated OUD among American Indians, indicating persistent health disparities impacting this demographic. OUD was an independent risk factor for excess ED visits, which could strain health care systems. The authors suggest strategies like nonopioid pain management, community-level programs, and bridging ED with outpatient treatment facilities to mitigate the opioid crisis and ED overutilization. These findings advocate for tailored public health strategies, addressing the underlying disparities to combat the opioid epidemic effectively.

A Model for Developing Academic Leadership of Teachers in the 21st Century Under the Office of Primary Educational Service Area in Thailand

This research aimed to present a model for developing the academic leadership of teachers in the 21st century under the Office of Primary Educational Service Area. This study used an integrated research method divided into two phases. Phase One aimed to study the current state of academic leadership of teachers in the 21st century under the Office of the Primary Educational Service Area. The sample group of this phase included 335 educational institution administrators, teachers, and heads of the academic department at schools under the jurisdiction of the Primary Educational Service Area Office Government Inspection Area 14, derived from stratified random sampling and three exemplary educational institutions. Phase Two aimed at creating a model for developing teachers’ academic leadership in the 21st century under the Office of the Primary Educational Service Area. The sample group of this phase consisted of 12 experts for a focus group meeting, obtained from purposive sampling. The research tools used were questionnaires, interviews, and evaluation forms. Data were analyzed to investigate average, standard deviation, and content analysis. The research results showed that the current overall condition in every aspect was practiced at a high level. In addition, there were five academic leadership development models for teachers in the 21st century under the Primary Educational Service Area Office: principles of the model; objectives of the model; methods of operation of the model; evaluation of the model, and conditions for success of the model. The models were appropriate and the overall feasibility was high.

Chechen Diaspora in the countries of the Middle East: on the issue of generational continuity and socio-political dynamics of communities

The article is concerned with little-studied dynamics of the Chechen and, more broadly, North Caucasian Diaspora in Jordan, Syria and Turkey, starting with the emergence of these communities in the 19th century during the era of the Ottoman Empire. The article traces a slow change in the character of these diasporic communities from the “exodus” from the Russian Empire to the building up of international relations with the Chechen Republic in the 21st century on the basis of “cultural similarity” and the importance of the idea of an ideal ancestral home. The article argues that the Diaspora changed its character from a refugee Diaspora to an imperial Diaspora during the Ottoman Empire, and then became a “cultural Diaspora” with predominant narratives of cultural and geographical proximity with the country of origin a century after the resettlement. The article also argues that cultural and geographical similarity leads to the importance of ethnopolitical factor in international relations and diasporic politics.