Validation Of Knowledge Base Research Articles

Transformational school leadership: a systematic review of research in a centralized education system

PurposeThis study intends to systematically review empirical evidence on transformational school leadership (TSL) in a centralized educational context.Design/methodology/approachThe study includes a topographical mapping and a narrative review of thirty-seven research articles published in Turkey between 2000 and 2021. The review strategy included systematically searching the Turkish Academic Network and Information Center (ULAKBIM) and Scopus. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram guided the review and reporting process.FindingsThree key themes emerged: (1) perceptions, attitudes and behaviors; (2) psychological resources, learning and innovation and (3) school climate and culture. The results indicated that the research evidence on TSL in the review did not correspond well with the evidence on TSL in non-Western contexts. The authors also discussed the state of research narratively to provide an overview of the topical foci and methodological and conceptual trends.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, although the databases of the study are claimed to be regularly updated locally, these two search databases may inevitably have missed some journal articles relevant to the inclusion criteria. A possible solution is to include more databases like ERIC, PsycArticles, SAGE, ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, Web of Science and ProQuest. Second, the authors decided to limit the exploration of journal articles on transformative leadership to peer-reviewed journal articles. The authors might have missed a wider range of insights available in book chapters, books, research papers, dissertations and gray literature. Third, as there were many levels of research foci, the authors did the coding on research foci and methods. However, the approach may not allow authors to explore the relationships between research foci and method design. One possible solution is to do all coding in one file so that more complex analysis can follow. Finally, the authors agree that TSL is only one leadership style that is related to leadership effectiveness and that effective leadership is multi-faceted and requires a combination of leadership styles. Accordingly, the evidence in the study sheds light on only one dimension of leadership effectiveness.Originality/valueOur review is part of an effort to demonstrate the importance of a culturally-situated understanding of TSL and to develop a globally validated knowledge base. It identifies and summarizes research in a non-Western school context defined by centrality, lack of autonomy and accountability.

In silico structural elucidation of Nipah virus L protein and targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domain by nucleoside analogs

The large (L) protein of Mononegavirales is a multi-domain protein that performs transcription and genome replication. One of the important domains in L is the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), a promising target for antiviral drugs. In this work, we employed rigorous computational comparative modeling to predict the structure of L protein of Nipah virus (NiV). The RdRp domain was targeted by a panel of nucleotide analogs, previously reported to inhibit different viral RNA polymerases, using molecular docking. Best binder compounds were subjected to molecular dynamics simulation to validate their binding. Molecular mechanics/generalized-born surface area (MM/GBSA) calculations estimated the binding free energy. The predicted model of NiV L has an excellent quality as judged by physics- and knowledge-based validation tests. Galidesivir, AT-9010 and Norov-29 scored the top nucleotide analogs to bind to the RdRp. Their binding free energies obtained by MM/GBSA (−31.01 ± 3.9 to −38.37 ± 4.8 kcal/mol) ranked Norov-29 as the best potential inhibitor. Purine nucleotide analogs are expected to harbor the scaffold for an effective drug against NiV. Finally, this study is expected to provide a start point for medicinal chemistry and drug discovery campaigns toward identification of effective chemotherapeutic agent(s) against NiV. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Instructional leadership in a centralized and competitive educational system: a qualitative meta-synthesis of research from Turkey

PurposeThis study sought to provide an understanding of what a culturally contextualized model of instructional leadership looks like in Turkey, and how this differs from models disseminated in the USA.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed qualitative meta-synthesis to systematically review the full set of 22 qualitative studies of instructional leadership in Turkey. A systematic synthesis strategy was applied to code the findings from each study to develop broad themes that describe key domains of principal instructional leadership practice.FindingsThe results showed that instructional leadership of school principals in Turkey is composed of four main dimensions and ten subdimensions. The main dimensions include: (1) emphasis on national goals and competition, (2) maintaining the learning environment, (3) motivating and enabling teachers, and (4) monitoring program alignment and test results.Research limitations/implicationsWhile broad dimensions of instructional leadership described in the international literature are relevant in Turkey, some practices used to enact those dimensions appear poorly aligned with the institutional–cultural context of Turkish schools. Thus, findings from this study support the assertion that the specific practices used to measure, assess and practice instructional leadership must be adapted to the context of a specific society.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to international efforts to develop a globally validated knowledge base in educational leadership and management.

Benchmarks for interpretation of QSAR models

Interpretation of QSAR models is useful to understand the complex nature of biological or physicochemical processes, guide structural optimization or perform knowledge-based validation of QSAR models. Highly predictive models are usually complex and their interpretation is non-trivial. This is particularly true for modern neural networks. Various approaches to interpretation of these models exist. However, it is difficult to evaluate and compare performance and applicability of these ever-emerging methods. Herein, we developed several benchmark data sets with end-points determined by pre-defined patterns. These data sets are purposed for evaluation of the ability of interpretation approaches to retrieve these patterns. They represent tasks with different complexity levels: from simple atom-based additive properties to pharmacophore hypothesis. We proposed several quantitative metrics of interpretation performance. Applicability of benchmarks and metrics was demonstrated on a set of conventional models and end-to-end graph convolutional neural networks, interpreted by the previously suggested universal ML-agnostic approach for structural interpretation. We anticipate these benchmarks to be useful in evaluation of new interpretation approaches and investigation of decision making of complex “black box” models.

Knowledge base integration management system quality, safety and environmental to improve organizational performance in construction company

Development in Indonesia showed high progress in the economics but had low progress for social; institutional; and in environmental sectors. Furthermore, Indonesian Construction Company still inhibited by low competitiveness; along Safety system management application; safety record and bad occupational health. Based on Indication in above, it’s necessary to apply an integrated management system between Quality, Safety and Environmental for manage the projects construction. The Implementation of an integrated management system, it’s necessary to improve with knowledge base Integration Management System; due to accelerated targets achievement of integration and to learned cause of the failure of integration aspect. Therefore, this research aims to validated Knowledge Base Integration Management System of Quality, Safety and Environmental to improve organization’s performance on Construction Service Company. This research was conducted with case studies and expert validation for the integration model, objectives and risk relationships.

Jesus: Divine relationality and suffering creation

The basic challenge that readers of the New Testament face is not only about what Jesus Christ teaches but who he is. Functional Christology has developed at the expense of ontological Christology. This challenge centres on Jesus Christ’s relevance, in terms of his identity, not only for Christians in particular but also for creation as a whole. The question ‘who is Jesus Christ in relation to creation?’ is thus of special interest to this study. Various authors such as Gunton, Gregersen, Peacocke and others have approached this question from different perspectives. The PhD study by Rabie-Boshoff was completed to shed light into the context of dialogue between Christian theology and the science of linguistics in an effort to understand the Genesis 1 creation story. This article refers to part of the study in an effort to make sense of who Jesus Christ is in relation to creation. This provides consolation in a time of worldwide lockdown because of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus. The human struggle of making sense of the world is brought into sharp focus in times like these, more so in terms of making sense of their creatureliness and mortality. Although science as a valid knowledge base may provide some answers to this human dilemma, Christians in particular appeal to the Bible and their belief in Jesus Christ. This turn to Jesus, and who he is, provides human beings with enduring and satisfying answers to their suffering and pain. Contribution: This article is an attempt to contribute to the ongoing discussion on creation in terms of how human beings make sense of creation, considering who Jesus Christ is in relation to creation. Human beings have always been engaged in a process of making sense of the world they live in. Ancient cultures provide such a window, allowing a glimpse into how those cultures perceived their world.

Characteristics of scientific articles on COVID-19 published during the initial 3 months of the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been characterized by an unprecedented amount of published scientific articles. The aim of this study is to assess the type of articles published during the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare them with articles published during 2009 H1N1 swine influenza pandemic. Two operators independently extracted and assessed all articles on COVID-19 and on H1N1 swine influenza that had an abstract and were indexed in PubMed during the first 3 months of these pandemics. Of the 2482 articles retrieved on COVID-19, 1165 were included. Over half of them were secondary articles (590, 50.6%). Common primary articles were: human medical research (340, 59.1%), in silico studies (182, 31.7%) and in vitro studies (26, 4.5%). Of the human medical research, the vast majority were observational studies and cases series, followed by single case reports and one randomized controlled trial. Secondary articles were mainly reviews, viewpoints and editorials (373, 63.2%). Limitations were reported in 42 out of 1165 abstracts (3.6%), with 10 abstracts reporting actual methodological limitations. In a similar timeframe, there were 223 articles published on the H1N1 pandemic in 2009. During the COVID-19 pandemic there was a higher prevalence of reviews and guidance articles and a lower prevalence of in vitro and animal research studies compared with the H1N1 pandemic. In conclusions, compared to the H1N1 pandemic, the majority of early publications on COVID-19 does not provide new information, possibly diluting the original data published on this disease and consequently slowing down the development of a valid knowledge base on this disease. Also, only a negligible number of published articles reports limitations in the abstracts, hindering a rapid interpretation of their shortcomings. Researchers, peer reviewers, and editors should take action to flatten the curve of secondary articles.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s11192-020-03632-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dealing with disagreement: The roles of topic familiarity and disagreement explanation in evaluation of conflicting expert claims and sources

Learners may increasingly encounter conflicting expert reports. However, little is known about how they deal with this challenge. We examined how learners' familiarity with a controversial historical topic affects their epistemic judgments of conflicting expert claims and sources, the interplay of their claim and source evaluation strategies, and their meta-epistemic understanding of the legitimacy of the disagreement (absolutist, multiplist, and evaluativist perspectives). In two studies, topic familiarity increased agreement with belief-consistent expert claims and the perceived trustworthiness of the expert who presented these claims. Topic familiarity also impacted the coordination of evaluation strategies and led to greater reliance on knowledge-based validation. However, topic familiarity did not affect meta-epistemic understanding of the legitimacy of the controversy. In the second study, reading an explanation about reasons for disagreements between historians resulted in higher evaluativism. Teaching about expert disagreement may be a productive approach for promoting appreciation of the diversity of knowledge.

Computation of minimal unsatisfiable subformulas for SAT-based digital circuit error diagnosis

The explanation of infeasibilities formed in Minimal Unsatisfiable Subformulas (MUSes) is a core task in the analysis of over-constrained Boolean formulas. A wide range of applications necessitate MUS detection including knowledge-based validation, software design, verification and error diagnosis in digital VLSI circuits. Consequently, various enhanced algorithms for determining MUS have been utilized for solving Maximum Satisfiability algorithms and Conjunction Normal Form (CNF) redundancies. Three enhancements are proposed in this paper. The first is a CPU-GPU algorithm for computation of Minimal Correction Subsets (MCSes) optimized for NVIDIA General Purpose Graphics Processing Unit paradigm. The proposed algorithm of generating all MCSes from the encoded CNF instance was developed using our parallel SSGPU solver and implemented using CUDA. The second enhancement is an algorithm for MUS computation based on auto-reduction of the enhanced MCSes for faster MUS detection. The third improved algorithm is for computing MUS directly without using MCSes. The two proposed algorithms outperform techniques as they could locate and explain design faults in digital VLSI circuits in earlier stages of IC design flow. The second proposed routine of MUS extraction was performed by avoiding a non-critical step in calling the SAT solver during MUS computation, leading to improving the performance of the MUS extraction algorithm. The third proposed mechanism for direct extraction of MUS was optimized by reducing the required SAT-solver calls using a classification of clauses in the input formula. Comparative analysis of the proposed algorithm against the Compute All Minimal Unsatisfiable Subsets (CAMUS) algorithm determined 1.54 × faster detection of MUS using ISCAS'85, ISCAS'89 and synthetic benchmarks. Also, the third algorithm for direct MUS computation delivers 17.05 × faster than shrinking algorithm used in MUST (minimal unsatisfiable subset) tool using ISCAS'85 and synthetic benchmarks. Moreover, it was observed that the CPU-GPU algorithm for MCSes computation based on the SSGPU solver delivered 1.92 × faster than its conventional counterpart, based on CUD@SAT equivalent on GPU using ISCAS'85, ISCAS'89 and synthetic Benchmarks.

Differentiating Text-Based and Knowledge-Based Validation Processes during Reading: Evidence from Eye Movements

ABSTRACT To build a coherent accurate mental representation of a text, readers routinely validate information they read against the preceding text and their background knowledge. It is clear that both sources affect processing, but when and how they exert their influence remains unclear. To examine the time course and cognitive architecture of text-based and knowledge-based validation processes, we used eye-tracking methodology. Participants read versions of texts that varied systematically in (in)coherence with prior text or background knowledge. Contradictions with respect to prior text and background knowledge both were found to disrupt reading but in different ways: The two types of contradiction led to distinct patterns of processes, and, importantly, these differences were evident already in early processing stages. Moreover, knowledge-based incoherence triggered more pervasive and longer (repair) processes than did text-based incoherence. Finally, processing of text-based and knowledge-based incoherence was not influenced by readers’ working memory capacity.

Connecting research and knowledge on educational leadership in the West and Asia: adopting a cross-cultural comparative perspective

ABSTRACTThe field of educational leadership has yet to develop a coherent knowledge base that reflects the global diversity of policies and practices. This disconnect – for example between Asian and Western research, presents a major challenge, curtailing authentic knowledge production and transfer. Accordingly, a major objective for the field is the creation of a cross-culturally valid knowledge base with global relevance. This conceptual paper addresses the phenomenon of global knowledge construction in educational leadership and the challenges of achieving coherence and connectivity between bodies of research from diverse politico-socio-cultural settings. In achieving greater connectivity between Asian and Western educational leadership research, a cross-cultural comparative approach is advocated. A comparatively informed universal knowledge base would highlight current ethnocentricity characterizing the field, and the socio-cultural embeddedness of educational leadership. While acknowledging the benefits and challenges of such an approach, the paper advocates four types of cultural and cross-cultural comparative studies, namely, meta studies of large data sets, socio-educational studies placing leadership in a social milieu context; system reform studies based on initiatives to improve education systems; and indigenous studies of educational leadership reflecting the uniqueness of societal cultures. Finally, the paper suggests more robust research methods for achieving authentic cross-cultural connectivity across knowledge bases to secure authentic knowledge production and transfer.

“Medical Cannabis” as a Contested Medicine: Fighting Over Epistemology and Morality

Few empirical studies have explored how different types of knowledge are associated with diverse objectivities and moral economies. Here, we examine these associations through an empirical investigation of the public policy debate in Israel around medical cannabis (MC), which may be termed a contested medicine because its therapeutic effects, while subjectively felt by users, are not generally recognized by the medical profession. Our findings indicate that beneath the MC debate lie deep-seated issues of epistemology, which are entwined with questions of ethics and morality. Whereas some stakeholder groups viewed evidence-based medicine and mechanical objectivity as the only valid knowledge base, others called for recognition of a particular experience-based knowledge, championing regulatory, administrative, or strong objectivity. Stakeholders’ interpretations of what should be considered as ethical courses of (in)action corresponded to their epistemological views, with most criticizing the regulators for relying on regulatory subjectivity instead of objectivity. Our in-depth mapping of this arena allowed us not only to shed light on the emergence of the new entity called “medical cannabis” but also to reexamine the link between epistemology, ethics, and action and to elucidate how heterogeneous groups view the validity and objectivity of knowledge and the interface between medicine, science, and policy.

A meta-analysis of shrinking cities in Europe and Japan. Towards an integrative research agenda

ABSTRACT Empirical research on urban shrinkage is being conducted around the globe, since many countries are confronted with the phenomenon of shrinking cities. So far, the research on urban shrinkage has focused strongly on case studies, which is why we can benefit from a diverse and empirically rich knowledge base on the phenomenon and its regional manifestations. By bridging and comparing the European and Japanese academic discourse, we aim to identify the different recurring theories and key issues discussed under the umbrella term ‘urban shrinkage’ and strive to uncover blind spots of the debate. For this purpose, we conduct a qualitative meta-analysis of 100 empirical cases that are documented in the literature dealing with shrinking cities in the EU and Japan. This meta-analysis is based on comparative qualitative content analysis. It reveals a regionally differentiated pattern of various causes, effects and responses documented for shrinking cities in Western, Mediterranean and post-socialist EU countries and in Japan. Based on these findings, we offer an agenda for future research by suggesting an integrative perspective on the context-specific dynamics of urban shrinkage. We argue for an integrative understanding of shrinking cities in order to develop a valid knowledge base for evidence-based policy recommendations.

On electronic word-of-mouth diffusion in social networks: curiosity and influence

The rapid proliferation of social networking sites (SNSs) provides marketers with ample opportunities to explore advertising strategies based on electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). With that in mind, this study aims to understand the influence of the eWOM diffusion process on SNSs. We propose a theoretical framework to investigate the roles of curiosity and influence in SNS users’ decisions to adopt eWOM and to pass it along to their contact groups. Two forms of curiosity, specific and diversive, are proposed to initiate specific exploration (consistency checking and knowledge-based validation) and diversive exploration (referral visit behavior), and eventually, adoption and pass-along behavior. In addition, SNS influence, formed by maven, persuasiveness, and connectivity, is proposed as a moderator affecting information diffusion. The proposed framework is empirically validated using the data collected from online surveys of 590 Facebook users. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed.

Development and significance of automated history-taking software for clinical medicine, clinical research and basic medical science.

Development and significance of automated history-taking software for clinical medicine, clinical research and basic medical science.

Interpreting Survey Questions About Sexual Aggression in Cross-Cultural Research: A Qualitative Study with Young Adults from Nine European Countries

Examining equivalence in the interpretation of survey items on sexual assault by participants from different cultures is an important step toward building a valid international knowledge base about the prevalence of sexual aggression among young adults. Referring to the theoretical framework of contextualism, this study presents qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 128 young adults from nine EU countries on their understanding of survey items from the Sexual Aggression and Victimization Scale (SAV-S). The measure had previously been used to collect quantitative data on the prevalence of sexual aggression perpetration and victimization in the same countries that had yielded substantial differences in the rates of victimization and perpetration between countries. Based on the methodological approach of a mixed research design, the current study was conducted as a follow-up to the quantitative study with a new sample to explore whether systematic differences in the interpretation of the survey items in the different countries might explain part of the variation in prevalence rates. The interviews showed that participants from the nine countries interpreted the items of the SAV-S in a similar way and as intended by the authors of the scale. Systematic differences between men and women in interpreting the survey items were revealed. Implications of the findings for conducting survey research on sexual aggression across cultures are discussed.

MUSer2: An Efficient MUS Extractor1

Algorithms for extraction of Minimally Unsatisfiable Subformulas (MUSes) of CNF formulas find a wide range of practical applications, including product configuration, knowledge-based validation, hardware and software design and verification. This paper describes the MUS extractor MUSer2. MUSer2 implements a wide range of MUS extraction algorithms, integrates a number of key optimization techniques, and represents the current state-of-the-art in MUS extraction.

A Review of Meta-Analyses in Education

The current review addresses the validity of published meta-analyses in education that determines the credibility and generalizability of study findings using a total of 56 meta-analyses published in education in the 2000s. Our objectives were to evaluate the current meta-analytic practices in education, identify methodological strengths and weaknesses, and provide recommendations for improvements in order to generate a more valid and credible knowledge base of what works in practice. It was found that 56 meta-analyses followed general recommendations fairly well in problem formulation and data collection, but much improvement is needed in data evaluation and analysis. Particularly, lack of information reported as well as little transparency in the use of statistical methods are concerns for generating credible and generalizable meta-analytic findings that can be transformed to educational practices. Recommendations for yielding more reliable and valid inferences from meta-analyses are provided.

OmniBiomarker: A Web-Based Application for Knowledge-Driven Biomarker Identification

We have developed omniBiomarker, a web-based application that uses knowledge from the NCI Cancer Gene Index to guide the selection of biologically relevant algorithms for identifying biomarkers. Biomarker identification from high-throughput genomic expression data is difficult because of data properties (i.e., small-sample size compared to large-feature size) as well as the large number of available feature selection algorithms. Thus, it is unclear which algorithm should be used for a particular dataset. These factors lead to instability in biomarker identification and affect the reproducibility of results. We introduce a method for computing the biological relevance of feature selection algorithms using an externally validated knowledge base of manually curated cancer biomarkers. Results suggest that knowledge-driven biomarker identification can improve microarray-based clinical prediction performance. omniBiomarker can be accessed at http://omnibiomarker.bme.gatech.edu/.

The Support of Knowledge Process to Enhance Risk Analysis in Jordanian Telecommunication Companies

The purpose of this paper is to study how Jordanian companies use the knowledge process to support risk analysis and how they deal with and foster it. The present empirical study is based on a sample of the data collected from 180 respondents, drawn randomly from Jordanian Telecommunication Companies. It provides a contribution to the literature about knowledge-based risk analysis in one of the developing countries as a framework to keep organisations competitive within the global business environment. This paper makes the following contributions. First, it demonstrates that according to project stakeholders, individual risk management activities, like for instance risk identification, are able to contribute to project success. Second, this paper provides insight in how knowledge process to support risk analysis and how they deal with and foster risk management activities to contribute in IT project success. And third, based on this new perspective, this paper provides new directions for further research into the mechanisms on how knowledge process support risk analysis in risk management to contribute in IT project success. The results of the survey show that the four selected factors (knowledge-based risk rationalise, knowledge-based risk comprehension, knowledge-based risk examination, and knowledge-based risk validation) have a significant impact on risk analysis. Due to the literature limitation about the KM model in developing countries, the current study will contribute to this field by addressing the knowledge-based risk. The findings will certainly help both researchers and practitioners in future knowledge management (KM) process, and risk analysis research. In order to get a better understanding of the knowledge processes on risk analysis, future research endeavours should focus on several other countries for comparative purposes.