Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences in novice and experienced teachers’ perceptions of planning activities in terms of primary instructional tasks

Abstract This study was aimed at investigating differences between novice and experienced teachers’ perceptions of planning activities for developing teacher education students’ professional skills by focusing on promoting of identified ill-developed skills. The teachers’ thinking about instructional planning was conceived as teachers’ decision-making for implementing primary teaching tasks in the planning, delivery, and reflective phases of instruction. This model served as a basis (or framework) for the identification of potential variables of planning skills and developing of items for a teachers’ questionnaire. Fifty-eight experienced and 55 novice teachers from Estonian schools of general education were surveyed. It was revealed that novice teachers did not apprehend events that may undermine reaching long-term instructional objectives and they focused more on the achievement of immediate objectives and the teaching of obligatory content in comparison with experienced teachers.
The information content of Local Field Potentials: experiments and models

The LFPs is a broadband signal that captures variations of neural population activity over a wide range of time scales. The range of time scales available in LFPs is particularly interesting from the neural coding point of view because it opens up the possibility to investigate whether there are privileged time scales for information processing, a question that has been hotly debated over the last one or two decades.It is possible that information is represented by only a small number of specific frequency ranges, each carrying a separate contribution to the information representation. To shed light on this issue, it is important to quantify the information content of each frequency range of neural activity, and understand which ranges carry complementary or similar information.
Multiple scattering approach to elastic electron collisions with molecular clusters

We revisit our multiple-scattering method to treat low-energy elastic electron collisions with (H2O)2. Calculations are performed for different geometries of the water dimer with different dipole moments. The effect of the dipole moment of the cluster is analysed. The elastic cross sections are compared to R-matrix results. Good agreement is found above 1 eV for all geometries. The results confirm the validity of the technique.
On Credit-Spread Slopes and Predicting Bank Risk

We examine whether bank credit-spread curves, engendered by subordinated debt, would help predict bank risk. We extract credit-spread curves for each bank each quarter and analyze the predictive properties of creditspread slopes. We find that credit-spread slopes are significant predictors of future credit spreads. We also find that credit-spread slopes provide significant additional information on future bank risk variables, over and above other bank-specific and market-wide information.
Optimizing Parallel CFD Simulations of 2D Compressible Flows

The present work gives a contribution to the investigation of optimization strategies for a parallel CFD solver for compressible flows. The focus of this study is the analysis and improved performance of an existing scientific application for CFD simulations by means of reducing MPI communication time. This is achieved by redesigning domain decomposition and communication patterns. Tests were carried out on multiple hardware configurations with various problem sizes. Results are illustrated by comparison with the original application, showing good improvement in performance when suitable optimization strategies for specific simulations are applied. The study concludes with a methodology for choosing the appropriate optimization strategy depending on the available hardware and the problem size.
Linkage mapping in the oilseed crop Jatropha curcas L. reveals a locus controlling the biosynthesis of phorbol esters which cause seed toxicity

Current efforts to grow the tropical oilseed crop Jatropha curcas L. economically are hampered by the lack of cultivars and the presence of toxic phorbol esters (PE) within the seeds of most provenances. These PE restrict the conversion of seed cake into animal feed, although naturally occurring ‘nontoxic’ provenances exist which produce seed lacking PE. As an important step towards the development of genetically improved varieties of J. curcas, we constructed a linkage map from four F2 mapping populations. The consensus linkage map contains 502 codominant markers, distributed over 11 linkage groups, with a mean marker density of 1.8 cM per unique locus. Analysis of the inheritance of PE biosynthesis indicated that this is a maternally controlled dominant monogenic trait. This maternal control is due to biosynthesis of the PE occurring only within maternal tissues. The trait segregated 3 : 1 within seeds collected from F2 plants, and QTL analysis revealed that a locus on linkage group 8 was responsible for phorbol ester biosynthesis. By taking advantage of the draft genome assemblies of J. curcas and Ricinus communis (castor), a comparative mapping approach was used to develop additional markers to fine map this mutation within 2.3 cM. The linkage map provides a framework for the dissection of agronomic traits in J. curcas, and the development of improved varieties by marker-assisted breeding. The identification of the locus responsible for PE biosynthesis means that it is now possible to rapidly breed new nontoxic varieties.
Integrated control techniques for PARASURG 9M parallel robot

The paper presents the mechanical and electronic structure, the basic functions and the operation block diagrams developed for the command and control unit of the PARASURG 9M hybrid parallel robot. The operator interface, structure and functions, algorithm and operating diagrams, deployment and implementation of the of CIParmis program are illustrated. The last part of the paper focuses on methods for functional testing of robot operation, subsequent analysis of operating parameters and controls specific to the robotic arms using the data mining technique.
The Association between Social Capital and Voting Participation in Three Developing Democracies in Africa

Numerous empirical research studies posit that social capital has a positive influence on peoples’ political participation. Studies conducted in developed western democracies have revealed that social capital strengthens democratic institutions by impacting both the quantity and quality of citizens’ political participation. However, in the developing democracies of Africa, the effects of social capital on political participation remain under-researched. This paper aims to empirically examine whether the interrelation between social capital and political participation holds true in the developing democracies of Africa. By operationalising the concept of social capital as membership in civic associations, this paper examines the influence of social capital on peoples’ voting participation in three Southern African countries, viz. Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. Using data from the sixth round of the Afrobarometer Survey, this study found that social capital was strongly linked to voting participation in these countries.
Effects of switching from ranibizumab to aflibercept in eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration

Aims To examine 12-month outcomes of eyes switching from intravitreal ranibizumab to aflibercept for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Methods Database observational study of eyes with nAMD tracked by the Fight Retinal Blindness outcome registry that received ranibizumab for at least 12 months before switching to aflibercept and followed for at least 12 months after the switch. Visual acuity (VA) recorded at 12 months after the switch was analysed using locally weighted scatterplot smoothing curves. Lesion activity was graded according to a prospectively identified definition. Main outcomes were change in VA and treatment intervals 12 months after the treatment switch. Secondary outcomes included change in activity grading, effect of duration of treatment before switching and analysis of eyes that switched back. Results A total of 384 eyes switched from ranibizumab to aflibercept after a mean duration of 39.8 months on the original treatment. The mean VA did not change from the time of switching treatment (63.4, SD 15.9 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution letters) to 12 months later (63.3, SD 16.7). While 10% of eyes gained 10 or more letters 12 months after the switch, 13% lost the same amount. The mean number of injections decreased by around one injection in the 12 months after switching (p<0.001), with a decrease in the proportion of choroidal neovascular membrane lesions that were graded as active. Eyes that had been treated for the longest time (49 or more months) before switching had worse vision at the point of switch but neither change in VA nor treatment interval was different between groups. The small proportion (6.9%) of eyes that switched back again to ranibizumab had already lost a mean of 5.2 letters from the first switch to the switch back and continued to lose vision at a similar rate for at least 6 months. Conclusions The mean VA of eyes that switched treatments from ranibizumab to aflibercept was not different 12 months later. There was a modest increase in treatment intervals and a somewhat greater proportion of eyes that were graded as inactive after the switch.
Do producer prices lead consumer prices

From early 1994 to early 1995, inflation surged in the producer price indexes for crude materials and intermediate goods. For example, inflation in intermediate goods prices rose from 2.6 percent annually in the first half of 1994 to 7.1 percent over the next nine months. At the same time, however, inflation in the consumer price index remained low, at slightly less than 3 percent. Many analysts are concerned that recent increases in the prices of crude and intermediate goods may be passed through to consumers. If such pass-through occurs, the Federal Reserve's progress in moving toward price stability over time would be jeopardized. > Clark examines whether price increases at the early stages of production should be expected to move through the production chain, leading to increases in consumer prices. A review of basic economic theory suggests there should be a pass-through effect--that is, producer prices should lead and thereby help predict consumer prices. A more sophisticated analysis, though, suggests the pass-through effect may be weak. Clark examines the empirical evidence, which indicates that producer prices are not always good predictors of consumer prices. He concludes that the recent increases in some producer prices do not necessarily signal higher inflation.
Effect of garlic on serum adiponectin and interleukin levels in women with metabolic syndrome

Background: Metabolic syndrome is considered to be an inflammatory situation with highly production of adipokines. Garlic and its products are known to induce antiinflammatory effects. However, no data are available on the anti- inflammatory effects of garlic in subjects with metabolic syndrome. Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the effects of a chemically wellchar acterized garlic preparation on biomarkers for inflammation, and lipid metabolism in subjects with metabolic syndrome. Patients and Methods: This study was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 40 adult women, aged > 18 year, who were diagnosed to have metabolic syndrome based on ATPIII criteria and 10 normal women. The cases were randomly assigned to 2 parallel treatment groups: garlic tablets (1.8 g/d), or placebo. Serum adiponectin, interleukin 6, TNF α and lipid profiles were measured at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment and anthropometric measurements were recorded. Results: Compared to the placebo group, garlic treatment resulted in significantly low er weight and waist circumference in women with metabolic syndrome. No effect on weight was detected in normal subjects with garlic. None of the inflammatory biomar kers and plasma lipid levels showed significant differences between the garlic-treated and the placebo groups. Conclusions: This study confirms that garlic has no effect on major plasma lipoproteins and furthermore has no impact on inflammatory biomarkers in women with meta bolic syndrome. ARTICLE INFO
Global Transcriptome and Physiological Responses of Acinetobacter oleivorans DR1 Exposed to Distinct Classes of Antibiotics

The effects of antibiotics on environment-originated nonpathogenic Acinetobacter species have been poorly explored. To understand the antibiotic-resistance mechanisms that function in nonpathogenic Acinetobacter species, we used an RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technique to perform global gene-expression profiling of soil-borne Acinetobacter oleivorans DR1 after exposing the bacteria to 4 classes of antibiotics (ampicillin, Amp; kanamycin, Km; tetracycline, Tc; norfloxacin, Nor). Interestingly, the well-known two global regulators, the soxR and the rpoE genes are present among 41 commonly upregulated genes under all 4 antibiotic-treatment conditions. We speculate that these common genes are essential for antibiotic resistance in DR1. Treatment with the 4 antibiotics produced diverse physiological and phenotypic changes. Km treatment induced the most dramatic phenotypic changes. Examination of mutation frequency and DNA-repair capability demonstrated the induction of the SOS response in Acinetobacter especially under Nor treatment. Based on the RNA-seq analysis, the glyoxylate-bypass genes of the citrate cycle were specifically upregulated under Amp treatment. We also identified newly recognized non-coding small RNAs of the DR1 strain, which were also confirmed by Northern blot analysis. These results reveal that treatment with antibiotics of distinct classes differentially affected the gene expression and physiology of DR1 cells. This study expands our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic-stress response of environment-originated bacteria and provides a basis for future investigations.
Dual-Modal Magnetic Resonance and Fluorescence Imaging of Atherosclerotic Plaques in Vivo Using VCAM-1 Targeted Tobacco Mosaic Virus

The underlying cause of major cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarctions and strokes, is atherosclerosis. For accurate diagnosis of this inflammatory disease, molecular imaging is required. Toward this goal, we sought to develop a nanoparticle-based, high aspect ratio, molecularly targeted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging contrast agent. Specifically, we engineered the plant viral nanoparticle platform tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) to target vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, which is highly expressed on activated endothelial cells at atherosclerotic plaques. To achieve dual optical and MR imaging in an atherosclerotic ApoE–/– mouse model, TMV was modified to carry near-infrared dyes and chelated Gd ions. Our results indicate molecular targeting of atherosclerotic plaques. On the basis of the multivalency and multifunctionality, the targeted TMV-based MR probe increased the detection limit significantly; the injected dose of Gd ions could be further reduced 400x compared to the suggested clinical use, demonstrating the utility of targeted nanoparticle cargo delivery.
Evidence for a Companion to BM Gem, a Silicate Carbon Star

Balmer and Paschen continuum emission, as well as Balmer series lines of P Cygni-type profile from Hγ through H23, are revealed in the violet spectra of BM Gem, a carbon star associated with an oxygen-rich circumstellar shell (“silicate carbon star”). The blueshifted absorption in the Balmer lines indicates the presence of an outflow, the line-of-sight velocity of which is at least 400 km s−1. The Balmer lines show a significant change in profile over a period of 75 days. We argue that the observed unusual features in BM Gem are strong evidence for the presence of a companion, which should form an accretion disk that gives rise to both an ionized gas region and a high-velocity variable outflow. The estimated luminosity of ~0.2 (0.03-0.6) L☉ for the ionized gas can be maintained by a mass accretion rate for a dwarf companion of ~10−8 M☉ yr−1, while ~10−10 M☉ yr−1 is sufficient for accretion to a white dwarf companion. These accretion rates are feasible for some detached binary configurations on the basis of the Bondi-Hoyle-type accretion process. Therefore, we conclude that the carbon star BM Gem is in a detached binary system with a companion of low mass and low luminosity. However, we are unable to determine whether this companion object is a dwarf or a white dwarf, although the gas outflow velocity of 400 km s−1, as well as the nondetection in the X-ray survey, favor its identity as a dwarf star. The upper limits for binary separation are 210 and 930 AU for a dwarf and a white dwarf, respectively, in the case of circular orbit. We also note that the observed features of BM Gem mimic those of Mira (ο Cet), which may suggest actual similarities in their binary configurations and circumstellar structures.
A Generic Pedagogic Model for Academically Based Professional Officer Education

After the end of the Cold War, many European countries cut back so heavily on defense expenditure that they lost their capacity to defend themselves. This resulted in greater need for improved cooperation and interoperability among member states’ armed forces. One important attempt to improve the understanding and interoperability among the European Union (EU) nation’s armed forces was taken in 2008 by the creation of the European Initiative for exchange of young officers aimed to make the officer education in Europe more transparent and convergent with each other. This article presents a proposal for a generic pedagogic model for an academically professional officer education that can improve understanding and interoperability among the EU nation’s armed forces. The model helps to facilitate a process of professionalization of the military profession with an officer education that can meet the requirements of higher education systems as well as the demands of the military profession.
A binocular stereo algorithm for reconstructing sloping, creased, and broken surfaces in the presence of half-occlusion

The author presents a method for reconstructing the three-dimensional scene geometry, i.e., depth, surface orientation, occluding contours, and surface creases, from a pair of stereo images. This reconstruction is not done as a postprocessing step, but rather all of the quantities are estimated simultaneously as part of the matching algorithm. An energy functional is considered in which each of the quantities in the scene geometry is explicitly represented. For this energy functional, a smoothness prior that, in addition to its ability to detect surface discontinuities and the accompanying half-occluded regions, is able to reconstruct steeply sloping surfaces with sharp creases is used. Experimental results demonstrating the effectiveness of the algorithm are presented. <<ETX>>
Influence of Selected Diets on Neural Insulin Activity and Cognitive Function

Diets high in saturated fat are related to worse cognitive function while those high in fish, vegetables and fruit have been associated with better cognitive function and lower dementia risk. While the precise physiological mechanisms underlying these dietary influences are not completely understood, modulation of brain-insulin activity and neuroinflammation were speculated to contribute. The results of this thesis suggest that the associations of fish, fruit, vegetables and saturated fat with cognitive function reflect adherence to a broader set of dietary patterns in older adults whose own relationship with cognition may be dependent on individual differences in environmental conditions, innate metabolism, and/or genetics. Although markers of brain insulin signaling were related to optimal cognitive function in rodent studies, dietinduced modulation of the hippocampal insulin signaling pathway was, at best, indirect. Dietinduced, peripheral insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction were closely related to cognitive deficits.
Analyzing Education Productivity : An Essay Review

The concept of productivity was born in the field of economics to minimize the costs and maximize the outputs. In its simplest form, productivity can be defined as achieving the maximum output of a process with the use of minimum inputs. Organizations are in continuous search of the best technology and methods of using minimum inputs to produce maximum outputs to become competitive and survive in the market. Productivity can be applied to the field of education the same way in which economists analyze the relationships between inputs and outputs (Duyar, McNeal, & Kara, 2006). Although becoming competitive to survive may not be their main motivation, public education institutions are also expected to be productive to minimize costs and maximize the utilization of resources to meet increased and diversified needs, as well as to become accountable to the public for the expenditure of resources. In this sense educational productivity can be defined as the efficient production of educational outcomes (Rolle, 2004).
Discrete Optimization Problems of Linear Array Synthesis by Using Real Number Particle Swarm Optimization

It is generally believed genetic algorithm (GA) is superior to particle swarm optimization (PSO) while dealing with the discrete optimization problems. In this paper, a suitable mapping method is adopted and the modifled PSO can efiectively deal with the discrete optimization problems of linear array pattern synthesis. This strategy has been applied in thinned linear array pattern synthesis with minimum sidelobe level, 4-bit digital phase shifter linear array pattern synthesis and unequally spaced thinned array pattern synthesis with minimum sidelobe level. The obtained results are all superior to those in existing literatures with GA, iterative FFT and difierent versions of binary PSO, that show the efiectiveness of this strategy and its potential application to other discrete electromagnetic optimization problems.
Modelling the Dynamics of a Steady State Genetic Algorithm

A comparison is made between the dynamics of steady state and generational genetic algorithms using the statistical mechanics approach developed by Prugel-Bennett, Shapiro and Rattray. It is shown that the loss of variance of the population under steady state selection - genetic drift - occurs at twice the rate of generational selection. By considering a simple ones counting problem with selection and mutation, it is shown that, with weak selection, the steady state genetic algorithm can reproduce the dynamics of the generational genetic algorithm at half the computational cost in terms of function evaluations.