Special Issue Editorial: Significance of STEM Education in Teaching and Learning for the Changing World with COVID19

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Table_1_Self-Esteem and Problematic Smartphone Use Among Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model of Depression and Interpersonal Trust.pdf

Research has found that self-esteem is negatively associated with problematic smartphone use (PSU). However, the internal mechanisms underlying that relationship need further investigation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of depression and interpersonal trust in the relationship between self-esteem and PSU among adolescents. A questionnaire comprised of the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, Inclusive General Trust Scale (IGTS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and personal questions was administered to 637 students (female = 355) at two middle schools in Shanghai, China. Correlation analyses, mediation analysis, and moderated mediation analysis were performed. A moderated mediation model was established, which revealed: (1) a significant negative association between self-esteem and PSU, (2) depression mediated the relationship between self-esteem and PSU, and (3) the influence of depression on the relationship between self-esteem and PSU was moderated by interpersonal trust. The results indicated that low self-esteem was a risk factor, and interpersonal trust was a moderating factor for PSU among adolescents in the sample. Building adolescents’ self-esteem and increasing their interpersonal trust might decrease their PSU.</p

Collagen-Based Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering

Collagen is commonly used as a regenerative biomaterial due to its excellent biocompatibility and wide distribution in tissues. Different kinds of hybridization or cross-links are favored to offer improvements to satisfy various needs of biomedical applications. Previous reviews have been made to introduce the sources and structures of collagen. In addition, biological and mechanical properties of collagen-based biomaterials, their modification and application forms, and their interactions with host tissues are pinpointed. However, there is still no review about collagen-based biomaterials for tissue engineering. Therefore, we aim to summarize and discuss the progress of collagen-based materials for tissue regeneration applications in this review. We focus on the utilization of collagen-based biomaterials for bones, cartilages, skin, dental, neuron, cornea, and urological applications and hope these experiences and outcomes can provide inspiration and practical techniques for the future development of collagen-based biomaterials in related application fields. Moreover, future improving directions and challenges for collagen-based biomaterials are proposed as well

Can environmental regulations facilitate total-factor efficiencies in OECD countries? Energy-saving target VS emission-reduction target

The heterogeneity of command-and-control and market-based environmental regulations has been fully discussed. However, the classification of environmental regulations based on target-oriented approaches have not been investigated, especially the differentiated impacts on green total-factor productivity (GTFP). To bridge this gap in the literature, this study divides environmental regulations into energy-saving target (EST) regulations and emission-reduction target (ERT) regulations based on the regulation target, and compares their heterogeneous impacts on GTFP. The GTFP is measured and further decomposed into total-factor economic output efficiency (TFYE), total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE), and total-factor emission efficiency (TFCE) using the extended SBM-DDF model. The empirical research using the panel data of 23 OECD countries from 2004 to 2010 reveals that: (1) The EST regulations have a spillover effect, which can positively affect GTFP and its decomposition terms in the long term. (2) The ERT regulations increase TFYE and TFCE, but reduce GTFP and TFEE. (3) Stricter regulations are more effective in energy conservation and emissions reduction. These findings provide policy implications for governments to effectively achieve environmental governance targets by adjusting and optimizing environmental regulatory instruments.</p

Interdisciplinary and Integrated STEM

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is an approach and movement in innovative educational practices from the primary level internationally. This would provide a platform for an inquiry approach, creativity, and innovation in young children and formulate a path for changes in existing practices. The STEM approach is widely accepted as a key educational practice; however, it is dealt with as a combination of disciplines in actual teaching and learning practice. Coherence in this interdisciplinarity and integration has yet to be evolved as a practice in synthesising and designing instruction and could be harbinger for an effective design for future practice. Integrated and interdisciplinary STEM can only generate powerful knowledge to deal with issues that are affecting the planet and bring abiotic and biotic equilibrium. Interdisciplinary and integrated powerful knowledge (IIPK) can act as a roadmap for innovation that can bring changes in existing practices, produce informed citizens, build capacity for informed decisions, and generate sustainable living practices. Interdisciplinary and integrated STEM could lay foundations for IIPK and generate a mindset, approach, and practice. IIPK could lead to the formation of new paths for energy generation, transport, agricultural practices, medical treatment, and clean environment. Interdisciplinary and integrated STEM is not seen in actual practice anywhere nowadays. For coherence in curriculum, implications in instructions need reform and development by the governments across the world. That could lead to a new policy for interdisciplinary and integrated STEM

The complete chloroplast genome and phylogenetic analysis of <i>Acalypha hispida</i> Burm. f. (Euphorbiaceae), an ornamental and medicinal plant

Acalypha hispida Burm. f. (1768) is an evergreen shrub native to New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. Currently, it is widely cultivated as an ornamental and medicinal plant in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. This study characterized the complete chloroplast genome of A. hispida, which is 172,122 bp in length and consists of large single-copy (LSC) and small single-copy (SSC) regions of 97,025 bp and 19,787 bp, respectively, that are separated by a pair of 27,655 bp inverted repeat (IR) regions. The overall GC content of the genome is 34.22%. The genome contains 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that A. hispida is closely related to Ricinus communis and Cleidiocarpon cavaleriei in the Euphorbiaceae family. The complete chloroplast genome of A. hispida provides genomic resources and potential markers suitable for future species identification and speciation studies of the genus Acalypheae and will also provide important information on the phylogenetic relationships of the Euphorbiaceae family.</p

Standardized structural model of longitudinal cross-lagged panel analysis on hostile attribution bias and angry rumination across two waves.

Note, ABQ = hostile attribution; AR = angry rumination; a1 = angry rumination parcel 1 of time 1; a2 = angry rumination parcel 2 of time 1; a3 = angry rumination parcel 3 of time 1; a4 = angry rumination parcel 4 of time 1; b1 = angry rumination parcel 1 of time 2; b2 = angry rumination parcel 2 of time 2; b3 = angry rumination parcel 3 of time 2; b4 = angry rumination parcel 4 of time 2; c1 = hostile attribution bias parcel 1 of time1; c2 = hostile attribution bias parcel 2 of time1; c3 = hostile attribution bias parcel 3 of time1; c4 = hostile attribution bias parcel 4 of time1; d1 = hostile attribution bias parcel 1 of time2; d2 = hostile attribution bias parcel 2 of time2; d3 = hostile attribution bias parcel 3 of time2; d4 = hostile attribution bias parcel 4 of time2. All the reported parameters are standardized. ***p < 0.001.</p

Means (M), Standard Deviations (SD), and correlations between hostile attribution bias and angry rumination in sample of chinese undergraduate students.

Means (M), Standard Deviations (SD), and correlations between hostile attribution bias and angry rumination in sample of chinese undergraduate students.</p

Anomalous Temperature-Dependent Upconversion Luminescence of Small-Sized NaYF₄:Yb³⁺, Er³⁺ Nanoparticles

Size-dependent quantum confinement has important effects on the energy transfer and radiative and nonradiative transitions in nanophosphors. For lanthanide-doped nanoparticles, the confinement effect is induced mostly via electron–phonon interaction, and analysis of temperature-dependent spectroscopic properties provides an effective method for disclosing its underlying mechanism. Herein, an intriguing and unprecedented enhancement of the upconversion luminescence (UCL) at higher temperatures in hexagonal-phase NaYF₄:Yb³⁺, Er³⁺ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) is reported. Moreover, this anomalous UCL enhancement shows a strong dependence on the particle size and becomes more significant for UCNPs with a smaller size. This anomalous thermal behavior is interpreted on the basis of phonon-assisted energy transfer and phonon confinement effect. The findings are relevant to the engineering of the nanostructures of UCNPs and to the further understanding of the UCL mechanism