Unsung voices of technology in school education-findings using the constructivist grounded theory approach

Technology adoption for school education further gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the challenges and strategies of children belonging to the less privileged (we use ‘privileged’ in the article to identify those enjoying a standard of living or rights as majority of people in the society) families are different from those of the children who come from socio-economically better-off (privileged) backgrounds. The purpose of this research is to explore the experiences of children with school education and using technology for learning. Past studies have highlighted the use of internet and communication technologies as a promising solution to provide quality school education in the remotest parts of the country. Previous research has also ascertained that the socio-economic status divide has no significant impact on the students’ ability to learn using technology. Children can use technology to learn irrespective of their socio-economic status and background. We conducted this exploratory qualitative study from a constructivist grounded theory perspective. A purposive sample of 14 students (9 from underprivileged and 5 from privileged family backgrounds) in the age group of 6–14 years, was used and unstructured interviews were conducted. We analysed the data using constructivist grounded theory methodology. We found that the experiences of privileged and underprivileged children differed with respect to access to internet, affordability of ICT device, quality teachers, parental support, and financial sponsorship. However, the experiences and perspectives of the children were found to be similar with respect to personal ownership of mobile phone device for unlimited time at own disposal, self-directed learning and having a trusted study advisor. The findings may be useful to policy makers and EdTech firms to build strategies and solutions for effective implementation of universal school education in the country.

Features of cargoes customs clearance under the “customs warehouse” regime

The essence and features of the customs regime «customs warehouse» in modern conditions of foreign economic activity are investigated. The sequence of stages of customs clearance of goods in the customs regime «customs warehouse» is clarified. The problems of «customs warehouses» and the peculiarities of placing goods in the customs warehouse, as well as the peculiarities of storage of goods, the permissible terms of their storage and the list of necessary documentation are analyzed. Today, the «customs warehouse» regime in the process of implementing various foreign economic transactions is extremely relevant and profitable. «Customs warehouse» is a customs regime according to which foreign or Ukrainian goods are stored under customs control with conditional full exemption from taxation by customs duties and without the application of measures of non-tariff regulation of foreign economic activity. This customs regime is applied when placing goods at the customs warehouse. Operations carried out with goods stored in the customs regime of the customs warehouse at the customs warehouse should not change the characteristics according to which these goods were classified according to the Ukrainian classification of goods of foreign economic activity. The term of storage of goods in the customs regime of the customs warehouse may not exceed 1095 days from the date of placement of these goods in the specified customs regime. Taking in to account the above, the «customs warehouse» mode is extremely convenient to use, and it can also be used when the final buyer is still unknown when importing goods, but when using this customs regime, the following problems arise: 1. Imperfection of the existing legislative regulation of activities when placing goods in the customs regime «customs warehouse». 2. Lack of clearly established tariffs for the use of services for the placement of goods in a customs warehouse. It is necessary to establish a unified pricing policy for the provision of customs warehousing services, taking into account the regional aspect. 3. Insufficient system of control and accounting of balances of goods in the customs warehouse. Such leftovers of goods can be in the customs warehouse for an unlimited time, and foreign economic entities will spend money on their storage. In addition, there is no legal regulation that could regulate the control of residues. 4. Inconsistency of the equipment of customs warehouses with existing requirements, since the customs warehouse must be provided in a favorable state, namely: technical and protective means to ensure the necessary regime, for the allocation of separate areas for customs warehouses near checkpoints or customs posts. 5. Failure to comply with the storage conditions of products, as well as the occurrence of financial losses of both counterparties under a foreign trade contract. The storage of goods in customs warehouses should be organized in such a way as to exclude the risks of damage to property, its theft, and destruction. According to the individual specialization of the product, there are requirements for the formation of special storage conditions, namely the appropriate temperature regime, which must always be maintained. In some cases, the only well-thought-out solution to solve this problem is to place the product in a temporary storage warehouse. To simplify customs procedures, the customs authorities of Ukraine are actively implementing the mechanism of electronic declaration, which significantly reduces the cost and reduces the time of customs clearance and enhances the effectiveness of customs control. Issues of efficiency of customs clearance are extremely important in foreign economic activity, as they directly affect the volume of exports and imports.

New Approaches to the Design of a Lunar Station for Servicing Automatic and Manned Spacecraft

The purpose of the study was to tackle the problem of creating an orbiting lunar station in a circular low orbit with an altitude of 100 ... 150 km. The study shows that this task should be considered not as the advantage-disadvantage ratio but as the development of a specific design solution - in a methodological design approach. Meanwhile, it is necessary to take into account the strategic importance of the orbiting lunar station for the entire process of the exploration of the Moon. The station should be created not only for manned expeditions but also for automatic spacecraft. The paper describes the methodological approaches to the design of space stations, namely the design methods which imply opportunities and tasks identification, gives examples of applying these methods, points out their shortcomings, including the lack of accounting for changes in design problems. As a result of studying the problem, we propose a design method that takes into account the dynamics of changing the tasks of the designed object, i.e. the tasks that arise during the Moon exploration. The study gives an enlarged description of the method, where the starting point is many different scenarios for the design of an object, i.e. the orbiting lunar station. Relying on the proposed method, we preliminarily designed the station and found that its design determines the design of its modules. The study substantiates the development of several standard (serial) space modules designed to perform basic functions in space flight. The combination of such modules within the framework of an open architecture allows the station to quickly adapt to new tasks and operate for an unlimited time - theoretically, without a time limit.

Freeze drying as a method of long-term conservation of mammalian semen – a review

With the development of biotechnological methods that allow for the manipulation and free exchange of genetic material, there is a need to improve the methods of collecting and storing such material. Until now, freezing in liquid nitrogen has allowed the storage of cells and entire plant and animal tissues for practically unlimited time. Despite this, alternatives are still being sought that will eliminate the constant need to keep samples at low temperature. Lyophilization or freeze drying can be an alternative to standard freezing procedures. The storage of samples (lyophilisates) does not require specialized equipment but only the refinement of the preservation method itself. In the case of cells capable of movement, e.g. sperm, as a result of the lyophilization process, they lose the ability to reach the oocyte in vivo and IVF. However, it is possible to use freeze-dried sperm for in vitro fertilization by ICSI, which is observed on the basis of the results obtained in cleavage, embryo development and production of live born offspring after embryo transfer. Studies on lyophilization of sperm are carried out on many animal species, both laboratory and livestock. This conservation method is seen as the possibility of creating biobanking for genetically valuable and endangered species with the simultaneous application of ICSI. This review article was intended to present the issues of the freeze-drying process of mammalian semen and help in finding solutions that will improve this technique of long-term preservation of biological material.

The Time Revolutionaries of 1859

The three principals, their partners, families, and networks are introduced. The chapter uses Darwin’s explanation of natural selection in 1857: ‘We have almost unlimited time; no-one but a practical geologist can fully appreciate this.’ Evans, Lubbock, and Prestwich were all practical geologists but with conflicting interests in managing London’s water supply for health and business. The chapter explores their geological passion and how they came to investigate the question of great human antiquity—the crux of the time revolution. The idea of using stone tools as a proxy for remote human ancestors is examined and the challenges which faced them set out. The characters of the principals are mapped onto the ideals in Samuel Smiles’s Self-Help, where zeal and perseverance sum up the qualities of success in all walks of life. George Eliot’s observations in Adam Bede on the men of New Leisure provides another fit for the three time revolutionaries. The preoccupation of the mid-nineteenth century with time is also examined using three inventions, the railways and railway time, shrinking distance—and hence time—by telegraphy, and freezing time with photographs. Examples range across literature and engineering.

Ex situ preservation in medium-term culture of the threathened taxon Dianthus nardiformis Janka

Our aim was to elaborate an efficient and reproducible protocol for medium-term culture of the threatened taxon Dianthus nardiformis. To reduce the growth, sucrose, mannitol, polyethylene glycol, Abscisic acid and Jasmonic acid were tested. For assessing the in vitro response, the growth and regeneration were registered after different time intervals. Mannitol is the most effective for medium-term preservation viable cultures which can be maintained unlimited time through transfer at every 3 months. In its presence, somatic embryogenesis was induced and in vitro growth in the minimal cultures was reduced between 9 and 12 times comparing to the control. Antioxidant enzymes assay revealed qualitative and quantitative differences among the experimental variants, and also between different concentrations of the same compound in correlation with the growth reduction and regeneration. POX was the most suitable to detect the efficiency of different treatments to induce medium-term cultures.

The Taxation of Company Distributions in Respect of Hybrid Instruments in South Africa: Lessons from Australia and Canada

Tax legislation traditionally distinguishes between returns on investment paid on equity and debt instruments. In the main, returns on debt instruments (interest payments) are deductible for the paying company, while distributions on equity instruments (dividends) are not. This difference in taxation can be exploited using hybrid instruments and often leads to a debt bias in investment patterns. South Africa, Australia and Canada have specific rules designed to prevent the circumvention of tax liability when company distributions are made in respect of hybrid instruments. In principle, Australia and Canada apply a more robust approach to prevent tax avoidance and also tend to include a wider range of transactions, as well as an unlimited time period in their regulation of the taxation of distributions on hybrid instruments. In addition to the anti-avoidance function, a strong incentive is created for taxpayers in Australia and Canada to invest in equity instruments as opposed to debt. This article suggests that South Africa should align certain principles in its specific rules regulating hybrid instruments with those in Australia and Canada to ensure optimal functionality of the South African tax legislation. The strengthening of domestic tax law will protect the South African tax base against base erosion and profit shifting through the use of hybrid instruments.

Precision Physics in Penning Traps Using the Continuous Stern-Gerlach Effect

Abstract“A single atomic particle forever floating at rest in free space” (H. Dehmelt) would be the ideal object for precision measurements of atomic properties and for tests of fundamental theories. Such an ideal, of course, can ultimately never be achieved. A very close approximation to this ideal is made possible by ion traps, where electromagnetic forces are used to confine charged particles under well-controlled conditions for practically unlimited time. Concurrently, sensitive detection methods have been developed to allow observation of single stored ions. Various cooling methods can be employed to bring the trapped ion nearly to rest. Among different realisations of ion traps we consider in this chapter the so-called Penning traps which use static electric and magnetic fields for ion confinement. After a brief discussion of Penning-trap properties, we consider various experiments including the application of the “continuous Stern-Gerlach effect”, which have led recently to precise determinations of the masses and magnetic moments of particles and antiparticles. These serve as input for testing fundamental theories and symmetries.