21st Century Research Articles

Regional Sea Level Response to External Forcings from the Twentieth to the Twenty-First Century

Abstract Using a range of Detection and Attribution Model Intercomparison Project (DAMIP) simulations from phase 6 of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), we study the response of dynamic sea level (DSL) to external anthropogenic climate forcing [greenhouse gases (GHGs), aerosols, and stratospheric ozone] with a focus on the differences over the twentieth and twenty-first century. In the second half of the twentieth century, the DSL nonuniformity in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) was relatively small due to a cancellation between the effects of increasing GHGs and aerosols. In contrast, the DSL signal in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) over this period was large because stratospheric ozone depletion reinforced the effects of increasing GHGs. In the twenty-first century, the DSL response has been intensified in the NH because the warming effects of diminishing aerosols have acted to reinforce the effects of increasing GHGs. Meanwhile, the distribution of SH DSL has also become uneven although stratospheric ozone recovery has partially offset the effects of rising GHGs. Using a global ocean circulation model, we decompose the changes in the twenty-first century DSL into distinct responses to surface forcings including sea surface temperature, salinity, and wind stress. Our results show that the dipole-like pattern of DSL in the North Pacific can be attributed largely to sea surface warming, while the dipole-like pattern in the North Atlantic is attributed to subpolar surface salinity freshening. The belted pattern of DSL changes in the Southern Ocean is induced by both surface warming and intensifying/poleward-shifting westerly winds.

Howdy Comrade

Abstract American and Western audiences have long come to understand Soviet and Russian womanhood, and thus US womanhood, from representations in popular televisual texts. While there is a long history of popular culture presenting the “othered” women of Eastern Europe, for example as temptress “Bond girls” during the Cold War, these narratives have continued onscreen into the twenty-first century. We examine the myriad representations from both the Cold War and post-Cold War period, noting the typical narrative constructions that focus on femme fatales, psychological and sexual trauma, and economic precarity, and how these have continued in contemporary popular culture to shore up notions of Western cultural and political superiority. The characters and the situations in which they find themselves, as spies, assassins, and double agents, continue to send messages about danger and dominance regarding both gender and geopolitics.

Investigation on implementing the swarm nano grid system for effective utilization of solar-powered agro-industries

The agro-industry is the backbone of the global economy, even in the twenty-first century. The agro-industry would not be what it is now without irrigation. The production and use of renewable energy in this sector of the agricultural economy have also expanded rapidly in recent years. Base-load power production and conversions dominate the literature. This research examines user concerns. The swarm nano grid system fixes this. The pulse width modulation (PWM) sinusoidal inverter converted stable DC power from the bidirectional DC-DC converter into sinusoidal AC voltage for the irrigation pump induction motor. Solar panels, batteries, and converters are costly, but they pay off. The nano grid distributes excess power generated during low demand to local loads. This technique works well when the load can be disconnected from the power grid. MATLAB is used to keep an eye on the reliability and efficiency of the induction motor. In the first simulation, solar power generation is modeled using the MATLAB Simulink software in two distinct modes. A PWM sinusoidal inverter that is driven by solar energy is what provides power to the 5.67 kW induction submersible motor. The simulation result provides a conceptual model of how induction motors powered by renewable energy sources function in practice.

Application of Nanotechnology for Herbal Medicine Development: A Review

Background: Herbal medicines have been extensively used to treat diseases since the prehistoric era, but written records date back more than 5,000 years only. All civilizations developed their knowledge of herbal medicines in a well-ordered system, such as Ayurveda, Unani, Traditional Chinese Medicine, etc. The interest in traditional medicine declined after the discovery of modern medicine. However, in the 21st century, herbal medicines are staging a comeback as the dangers and limitations of modern medicine have become more apparent and herbal medicines are viewed as a balanced and moderate approach to healing. Methods: This review includes the nanoformulations of phytoconstituents and extract. Advancements in analysis and clinical research prove the efficacy of nano-herbal medicines in preventing and treating diseases. This review is mostly about how nanotechnology can be used to help herbal medicines work better. Result: The major problems with herbal medicines are their poor solubility and stability. New technological advancements are capable of removing the problems associated with herbal medicine. Novel drug delivery systems such as microemulsion, liposome, niosome, and nano-drug delivery systems are used to enhance the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines. Conclusion: Nanotechnology has significant merit for herbal medicines, such as improving solubility, bioavailability, pharmacological activity enhancement, and stability enhancement.

The Cultural Work of Animal Narrators in the Contemporary Sub-Saharan African Novel

ABSTRACT: Over the early decades of the twenty-first century there has been a marked rise of works of African fiction recounted by first-person animal narrators—prompted by such historical vectors as the accelerating onrush of climate change (with the mass extinctions it promises to bring), the instrumentalization of animals and their reduction to the status of commodities under neoliberal capitalism, the rise of animal studies as an academic field with its promotion of an awareness of speciesism, and the continuing effort to culturally decolonize residual imperialist discourses that suppressed indigenous African modes of knowledge. This essay argues these animalnarrated works of fiction explore a wide range of thematic focuses but share a number of distinct commonalities as well: attention to the natural world or breakdown of the conceptual dichotomy between man-made and natural worlds, a desire to provide alternative perspectives on human society, a calling into question of humanity's age-old idealization of itself, and a revaluation of nonhuman animals.

A sense of seaweed: Consumer liking of bread and spreads with the addition of four different species of northern European seaweeds. A pilot study among Swedish consumers.

Current food systems pose one of the greatest health and environmental challenges of the 21st century. Expanded utilization of seaweed for food in Western societies seems like one promising measure in the transition toward sustainable food systems. However, introducing and expanding seaweed to new markets brings certain challenges, such as limited food acceptance and availability. In this pilot consumer study, four common northern European seaweed species (Saccharina latissima, Alaria esculenta, Palmaria palmata, and Ulva sp.) were introduced into two complementary plant-based products (bread and spread), which were presented to consumers (n=49 (bread), n=52 (spread)) in a Swedish setting. The consumers’ liking of the products was evaluated based on a 9-point hedonic scale, and the product characteristics were determined by texture, pH, and color analysis. Whereas the different spreads’ pH was similar, the texture and color overall varied more between the different samples. Overall, the consumers slightly liked the two seaweed-containing products, with taste/flavor and texture being main contributing factors to the consumers’ liking. For the bread, S. latissima was liked best as a supplement. S. latissima and A. esculenta were liked best for the spread, whereas P. palmata received the lowest scores. The preference for brown seaweeds may relate to their relatively more neutral taste/flavors and finer structure, whereas the lower scores for P. palmata may be explained by its marine-associate flavors and coarser structure. The studied consumer liking of seaweed-based products can become valuable for developing and improving future seaweed products and increasing their availability in Western food cultures.

Review on Diabetes Mellitus: An Insight into the Current Scenarios, the Challenges of Therapy, and Application of Traditional Drugs

Abstract: Diabetes mellitus, an epidemic of the 21st century, is listed as one of the top ten causes of death around the world by the World Health Organization and is a complicated disease to deal with. Medically, a metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood glucose levels and altered metabolism of biological macromolecules, mainly carbohydrates. Diabetes mellitus has a worldwide prevalence, and populations of all high, middle, as well as low-income countries, are affected by it. More than 400 million persons are currently living with diabetes. Many risk factors, such as lack of exercise, irregular diet, drinking, and smoking habits, as well as genetic factors, also contribute to the increased incidence of diabetes mellitus in the modern era. The conventional therapies for diabetes are based on insulin, insulin analogues, peptides, and oral hypoglycemics. The primary objective is to lower the elevated blood glucose levels and manage the distress to enhance the quality of life of the patient. The management of diabetes is very crucial to avoid complications having serious consequences such as the extra economic burden due to these complications. Conventional drug therapy has its own adverse effects, and its timely availability and cost are still an issue in many low and middle-income countries. Diabetes mellitus has been reported in various ancient kinds of literature along with various natural remedies (plants/herbals) useful in it. These plant-based remedies offer the benefits of lesser or no adverse effects, easy availability due to natural abundance, and low cost. Therefore, extensive research work is carried out in the past few decades to identify and understand the underlying principles of plant-based/herbal medicines to develop new potential lead molecules and a relatively safer, easily available and more economical alternative treatment therapy for diabetes mellitus.

When Parents Request Nondisclosure: Rights of Adolescents to Access Their Health Information and Implications of the 21st Century Cures Act Final Rule.

AbstractDespite broad ethical consensus supporting developmentally appropriate disclosure of health information to older children and adolescents, cases in which parents and caregivers request nondisclosure continue to pose moral dilemmas for clinicians. State laws vary considerably regarding adolescents' rights to autonomy, privacy, and confidentiality, with many states not specifically addressing adolescents' right to their own healthcare information. The requirements of the 21st Century Cures Act have raised important ethical concerns for pediatricians and adolescent healthcare professionals regarding the protection of adolescent privacy and confidentiality, given requirements that chart notes and results be made readily available to patients via electronic portals. Less addressed have been the implications of the act for adolescents' access to their health information, since many healthcare systems' electronic portals are available to patients beginning at age 12, sometimes requiring that the patients themselves authorize their parents' access to the same information. In this article, we present a challenging case of protracted disagreement about an adolescent's right to honest information regarding his devastating prognosis. We then review the legal framework governing adolescents' rights to their own healthcare information, the limitations of ethics consultation to resolve such disputes, and the potential for the Cures Act's impact on electronic medical record systems to provide one form of resolution. We conclude that although parents in cases like the one presented here have the legal right to consent to medical treatment on their children's behalf, they do not have a corresponding right to direct the withholding of medical information from the patient.

Curing Stage IV Melanoma: Where Have We Been and Where Are We?

Little more than 10 years ago, metastatic melanoma was considered to have one of the poorest cancer outcomes, associated with a median overall survival of 6-8 months. Cytotoxic chemotherapy offered modest response rates of 20%-30%, but no clear survival benefit. Patients were routinely enrolled in clinical trials as their first-line therapy in the search for effective novel therapeutics. Remarkable developments in molecular biology, cancer genomics, immunology, and drug discovery have dominated the early part of the 21st century, and nowhere have the benefits been better realized than in the transformation of outcomes for patients with metastatic melanoma: since 2011, 14 new agents have been approved that significantly increase survival, with long-term remissions and, possibly now, potential for cure. Even so, there is still much work to be done, given that most treated patients still die of their disease. Although most survival gains have so far been realized for cutaneous melanoma, improving treatment options for those 10% of patients with rarer, noncutaneous melanomas is a high priority. Key novel therapeutic approaches aimed at improving outcomes with potential for curing patients with melanoma are considered.

The 21st-century skills scales: many facet Rasch measurements

This study aims to develop a 21st century skills scale for prospective school counselor. The method used is the research and development. The data were analyzed using content analysis/expert judgment with many-facet Rasch model (MFRM). Three facets were employed: scale, item, and measurement criteria. The initial version of the scale comprises 129 items measuring four aspects: way of thinking, way of working, tools for working, and living in the world. However, 78 items were deemed valid following the expert judgment analysis result. The inter-rater agreement opportunity shows raters’ similarity score of 10,836, implying that experts in this study tend to give similar assessments. This research results in a 21st century skills scale for prospective school counselors with a total of 78 valid items. The purpose of this study was to develop a 21st century skills scale for prospective school counselors that had been fulfilled, the instrument had been tested for validity and reliability based on expert judgment. The current research recommends that further research be carried out to develop a 21st century skills scale instrument for prospective educators in other scientific fields.

The Influence Of The Project-Based Learning Model On The Scientific Creativity Of Physics Education Undergraduate Students At Madura Islamic University

Scientific creativity is a skill needed in the 21st century. 21st-century skills are known as 4C skills, one of which is being creative to produce innovative work to answer the challenges of the Industrial Revolution era 5.0. The Project-based learning model is a learning model that can guide students to increase students' scientific creativity through a series of questions that direct and explore students' scientific knowledge and creativity. This research used a quasi-experimental research design with 36 students divided into control classes and experimental classes. This research aims to see how much influence the PjBL learning model has in increasing the scientific creativity of students in physics subjects in terms of the implementation of the model and the influence of the PjBL model. The instruments used to obtain data were essay test questions for pretest and posttest, and observation sheets to observe the implementation of learning in class. All test questions have been validated by experts and tried out to test the reliability of the questions, level of difficulty, and distinguishing power of the questions using the ANATES Essay Questions application. Concept mastery data (posttest) was analyzed by hypothesis testing (t-test) using the SPSS application. The results of the research show that: (1) There is a significant influence of using the Project-based learning model on students' mastery of physics concepts. A significance value of 0.031 (Sig < 0.05) was obtained at the 95% confidence level. (2) The implementation of the project-based learning model accompanied by probing prompting techniques is included in the good category Keywords: Scientific Creativity, Project Based Learning

Emergent constraints on the future East Asian winter surface air temperature changes

In East Asia, the climate variability in boreal winter is dominated by the East Asian winter monsoon, one of the most energetic monsoon systems that can lead to disasters. The key variable, the East Asian winter surface air temperature (SAT), has significantly changed over the past century and has substantially impacted agriculture, ecosystems, economics, and public health. However, its projections are limited by considerable uncertainties. Here, we identify the first leading mode that explains almost 29.6% of the inter-model spread in future SAT change. Our research delves into the evolution of present-day biases under future scenarios and their consequential impact on the SAT. Models with stronger western currents’ heat transport in the North Pacific exhibit a warmer North Pacific at mid-latitudes during historical periods. Additionally, these models consistently demonstrate stronger western currents in the future, contributing to the amplified warming of the western North Pacific, thereby warming Eurasia via the weakened trough and subtropical jet through barotropic responses to the warm North Pacific. Incorporating observational sea surface temperature constraints reduces uncertainties by 9.40%, revealing a more reliable SAT change pattern by the end of the 21st century.

Development, Validation, and Effectiveness of Android-Based Learning Material in Statistics

In this 21st century, students are more compelled towards the use of a mobile phone for every purpose. This study aimed to develop, validate, and test the effectiveness of an android-based learning material in Statistics. The technological profile, technology acceptance in terms of perceived use and perceived ease of use, relationship between the technological profile and technological acceptance, performance of respondents with or without the use, effectiveness, and validity of the android-based learning material were investigated in this study. The study utilized descriptive, developmental, and quasi-experimental research design. Two sections of Grade 10 were considered in the study; one section used the learning material, while the other section did not. Pre-test and post-test were conducted on the two groups. Data gathered were analyzed, tabulated, and presented using frequency count, percentage, mean, standard deviation, paired sample t-test, and simple correlational analysis. It was found out that all respondents have available gadgets; they “often” use technology and “advanced” in terms of technological skills; they strongly agree that the learning material is useful and easy to use; there is a positive relationship between the technology profile and the technology acceptance of the respondents; and the learning material was found to be effective and has very high validity. Hence, it is highly recommended to use the learning material in Statistics. Developing android-based learning material is recommended for other topics in mathematics, and students may be provided with other supplementary materials for greater retention.

Prospective Roles of Extremophilic Fungi in Climate Change Mitigation Strategies

Climate change and the resultant environmental deterioration signify one of the most challenging problems facing humankind in the 21st century. The origins of climate change are multifaceted and rooted in anthropogenic activities, resulting in increasing greenhouse gases in the environment and leading to global warming and weather drifts. Extremophilic fungi, characterized by their exceptional properties to survive extreme habitats, harbor great potential in mitigating climate change effects. This review provides insight into the potential applications of extremophilic fungi in climate change mitigation strategies. They are able to metabolize organic biomass and degrade carbon compounds, thereby safely sequestering carbon and extenuating its release into the environment as noxious greenhouse gases. Furthermore, they possess extremozymes, which break down recalcitrant organic species, including lignocellulosic biomass and hydrocarbons. Enzymatic machinery equips these extremophilic fungi to perform the bioremediation of polluted environments. Extremophilic fungi can also be exploited for various biological interventions, such as biofuels, bioplastics, and other bioprocessing applications. However, these fungi characterize a valued but underexplored resource in the arsenal of climate change mitigation strategies.

Research on Divorce Cooling-off Period System in China

Along with the economic prosperity of the 21st century, there is also a progressive concept of marriage. In the pursuit of "new Under the marriage freedom of the era, whether the quality of their own marriage life has become the most important for economically independent couples Heavy place. However, recent years, economic development, social change, and the change of people's ideology, the number of divorce in our country has been increasing, the divorce rate has gradually gone higher, people's confidence in marriage has also decreased. In order to reduce the divorce rate, reduce the phenomenon of impulsive divorce, and maintain family harmony and social stability, China has stipulated a cooling-off period system for divorce. The divorce cooling-off period system is a new system in our country, which has played positive functions in many aspects. However, the system still has some shortcomings, such as the divorce cooling-off period personal safety protection, property protection and the protection of the rights and interests of minor children, etc. Then the necessary in-depth analysis is carried out and more perfect suggestions are put forward to make the system to assume its social and legal functions.

Non-profit organizations in training for employment: On the transformative potential of their critique of education

A sociology of conventions perspective is used in this paper to examine how non-profit organizations make sense of their educational action in the field of training for employment. Both critiques of education that such organizations voiced and compromises that they had to establish at the turn of the 21st century are revisited here in view of the transformations that the field of training for employment has experienced in recent years. We show empirical data illustrating their discourses on education 20 years ago that were obtained through in-depth, focused interviews with trainers and management of Spanish non-profit organizations. Some critiques are highlighted that were prominent in their discourse at the turn of the century, when the ‘third sector’ was regarded as a promising actor that could amend some of the most concerning inadequacies of the education system. However, the transformative potential of such critiques is critically re-examined in view of the transformations that such an increasingly hybrid field has experienced since, transformations that allow for a new perspective into those once change-promising discourses.

Territorial Communities of France in International Cooperation with Eastern Countries and Regions (20th-21st Centuries)

This article explores the formation and development of transregional relations of territorial communities of France with Eastern countries and regions. It examines the interplay of centrifugal and centripetal tendencies in the “center-regions” relationship of the French Republic. The analysis focuses on the normative framework of international and foreign policy activities of French territorial communities based on national constitution and legislation. Traditional close ties of French regions with partners from European countries are discussed, with a special emphasis on collaborations with countries in Eastern and Southern Mediterranean, as well as North Africa. Partnership with distant Eastern territories is separately examined. The study is based on a comprehensive methodology incorporating principles of historicism, objectivity, comprehensiveness, historical-systemic and historical-comparative approaches, as well as theoretical foundations of multilevel governance theory. It includes an examination of the activities of various administrative units in France: regions, departments, municipalities, cities, and metropolises. The conclusion drawn is that the international activities of French regions are currently less active than those of regions in other European Union countries; however, in the 21st century, they have significantly intensified compared to previous periods.

Navigating the Future: Assessing the 21st Century Skills of Sangguniang Kabataan Kagawad in Noveleta, Cavite: A Sequential-Explanatory Study

The 21st century skills of Sangguniang Kabataan Kagawad of Noveleta Cavite a Sequential-explanatory Study Study aims to investigate the respondents' perceived levels of verbal and physical leadership skills as well as their Sangguniang Kabataan Kagawad behavior and how these factors affect their behavior as leaders in their barangay. Additionally, the aim was to elucidate the correlation between the two variables under investigation. The study used a sequential-explanatory mixed-method research design to provide comprehensive illumination, analysis, and exploration of the assessed and linked variables. Ten (10) interviewees participated in the study's qualitative phase, whereas ninety-six (96) respondents participated in its quantitative phase. A non-probability sampling method called "purposeful sampling" was used to choose the respondents. The results of the variables that were looked at showed that the SK Kagawad in Noveleta, Cavite, that was chosen had strong leadership qualities in terms of both verbal and physical leadership skills.

ЖИЗНЬ ДАЛЬНЕВОСТОЧНОГО СЕЛА 1970–1991 ГОДОВ В ТРУДАХ СОВЕТСКИХ И РОССИЙСКИХ ИССЛЕДОВАТЕЛЕЙ

The purpose of the study is to analyze historical events related to the development of the Far Eastern rural areas in 1970–1991, and the objectives are to identify the stages, patterns and features of the process of scientific study of the rural reality of the Far Eastern Region. In the course of working on the paper, both general scientific and historical methods were used. Research was based on fundamental scientific principles, such as critical interpretation of sources, depoliticization, and historicism. The author analyzes publications related to life, daily life, the financial situation of the rural population, social policy, demographic and migration processes. It is noted that for a long time the evolution of the rural society of the Far East during the periods of “developed” (or “late”) socialism and perestroika was not the focus of attention of researchers who relied on the formational approach that was dominant until the early 1990s. Scientists idealized the state of affairs in rural areas, presenting existing problems and difficulties as temporary phenomena that could be overcome in the foreseeable future. In the post-Soviet period, the study of the life of villagers continued from new methodological positions, in particular, based on the theory of modernization. A surge of interest in regional rural reality occurred at the beginning of the 21st century. Historians have paid attention to issues related to food, the state of housing and household infrastructure, agricultural resettlement, and the subjective perception of life by the villagers themselves. To date, a complex of scientific research on the history of the Far Eastern village has been formed, including papers, monographs and dissertations, but a number of issues remain on the periphery of research interest and require further study.

Assessing The Effectiveness of Training and Development Programmes on Employee Performance at Tata Steel Ltd.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of training and development programs at Tata Steel Ltd., focusing on their alignment with organizational strategies and their impact on employee performance. The primary objective is to assess how these programs contribute to organizational competitiveness and employee skill enhancement in the 21st century. Using purposive sampling technique, data was gathered from a sample of 100 employees who have participated in the company's training initiatives. The findings reveal that a majority of employees (98%) recognize training as integral to the organization's strategy and effective in enhancing productivity. However, discrepancies in perceptions suggest the need for improved communication and training customization. Keywords: Training, Training effectiveness, Training programmer, Evaluation of Training, development.