Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DIGITAL STORYTELLING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ MASTERY IN WRITING NARRATIVE

This study is an experimental study. It aims to find out whether teaching narrative text using digital storytelling is effective to enhance students’ mastery in writing. This research also reveal the significant difference in the achievement between students who are taught using digital storytelling and those who are taught using conventional technique . In order to achieve those objectives, I conducted an experimental study. The population of this study was the eighth graders of SMPN 1 Grobogan. The experimental group was VIII-1 and the control group was VIII-2. The experimental group was taught using digital storytelling and the control group was taught using conventional technique. The result after a treatment was given shows that the mean of experimental group was higher than the control group. Therefore, there is a significant difference in students’ achievement that was taught using digital storytelling and using conventional technique. It is concluded the use of digital storytelling as visual aid can improve students’ mastery in writing narrative.
The Sources of Competitive Advantage in University Spin-Offs: a Case Study

University Spin-Offs are incorporated to exploit the knowledge and skills achieved within Universities. Often, their competitive advantage is represented by specific know-how that may be hardly imitated by competitors. In this article we present an analysis of the intellectual capital assets owned by a University Spin-Off using a framework recently introduced in literature. The framework resorts to a series of structured interviews to key figures within the organization. The interviews are synthesized through the Analytic Network Process and the results are compared using graphical and cost/ benefit analyses. The implementation of the framework creates a useful panel for the planning of investments in intellectual capital assets in order to create value. Moreover, it may emphasize possible discrepancies among interviewees about the importance of each intellectual capital asset.
Promoting Global English while Forging Young Northeastern Thai Learners’ Identity

Globally, English is used as a central means of communication; regionally, English has been endorsed as the working language for ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Therefore, the need to improve Thai citizens’ English has become imperative. However, Thai learners’ English language performance has been quite unsatisfactory. AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) integration in 2015 and globalisation have brought another concern that ‘Thainess’ is being eroded due to external influences. Therefore, an effort to maintain , revive, and revitali s e ‘Thainess’ has been exerted. This study aim s to enhance Thai students’ global English and maintain regional “Thainess” in the northeastern region. Procedural steps in this research were carried out, integrating regional community involvement whenever possible. First, based on the community’s prominent characteristics as expressed through the completion of a questionnaire, a set of instructional innovations for elementary English education was constructed and subsequently implemented to a Grade Level 4 class at a school in the northeastern region. Two sets of pre and post-tests were constructed and administered to estimate their knowledge of regional Thainess and English vocabulary at the beginning as opposed to towards the end of the instruction. Finally, the students performed a simulated tour guide task. Their accomplished execution of the task demonstrated their integrated knowledge of Thainess and English, contributing to a sense of pride in the region and a sense of achievement in their English proficiency. In short, with the instructional innovations necessitating community involvement, this research can address the pressing needs triggered by both globalisation and regionalisation. Keywords: elementary education; English instructional innovations; Thainess; tour guide task; identity DOI: http://doi.org/10.17576/3L-2016-2203-09
Innovation collaboration and appropriability by knowledge-intensive business services ﬁrms

We uncover a “paradox of formal appropriability mechanisms” in the case of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) ﬁrms. Despite evidence that KIBS ﬁrms do not typically consider formal appropriability mechanisms, such as patents, to be central mechanisms for capturing value from innovation, we show that they are nevertheless important for their innovation collaboration. Drawing on an original survey of publicly-traded UK and US KIBS ﬁrms, we ﬁnd a signiﬁcant positive association between the importance of innovation collaboration and the importance of formal appropriability mechanisms. We interrogate the evidence for clients, as they are the most important partners for innovation collab- oration. We ﬁnd that the importance of innovation collaboration with clients goes hand-in-hand with the importance of formal appropriability mechanisms, although a negative relation appears when ﬁrms assign very high importance to formal appropriability mechanisms. Thus, modest levels of emphasis on formal appropriability mechanisms may prevent conﬂicts over ownership of jointly developed knowl- edge assets and knowledge leakages, while also avoiding the possibly negative effects of overly strict controls by legal departments on innovation collaboration. As well as exploring formal appropriabil- ity mechanisms, we also investigate the relationship between contractual and strategic appropriability mechanisms and
On Some Biases Encountered in Modern Audio Quality Listening Tests-A Review

A systematic review of typical biases encountered in modern audio quality listening tests is presented. The following three types of bias are discussed in more detail: bias due to affective judgments, response mapping bias, and interface bias. In addition, a potential bias due to perceptually nonlinear graphic scales is discussed. A number of recommendations aiming to reduce the aforementioned biases are provided, including an in-depth discussion of direct and indirect anchoring techniques.
The Study of University Students’ Awareness and AttitudeTowards Environmental Education in Northern Cyprus

This research has been conducted to detect the attitude and behavior levels of university students in Northern Cyprus about environmental education The research population consists of the university students in Northern Cyprus, while the sample consists of 175 university students in Northern Cyprus in the same year. The “environmental awareness scale” and “environmental attitude scale” was administered to the participants as data collection tools. The answers that the students gave have been analyzed quantitatively. It has was found that female students have higher environmental attitudes and they are more sensitive to the environment than male students.
minStab: Stable Network Evolution Rule Mining for System Changeability Analysis

Growing number of evolving systems creates demand for system evolution analytics with modern computational intelligence algorithms and tools. In this paper, we introduce new measures of <italic>stability</italic> and <italic>changeability</italic> for system evolution analysis over time. We proposed a <italic>Stable Network Evolution Rule Mining</italic> and a <italic>Changeability Metric</italic> for an evolving system. For this, we use two different characteristics of Network Evolution Rules (NERs). First, given a network of a system state S<sub>i</sub>, we call an NER <italic>interesting</italic> in S<sub>i</sub> if its support and confidence exceed given thresholds (minimum support and minimum confidence). Second, given a set of networks for a set of states (SS), we define the <italic>stability</italic> of an NER to be the percentage of states in SS in which the rule is interesting. We call an NER <italic>stable</italic> in SS if its stability exceeds a given threshold named as <italic>minimum stability</italic> (minStab). Based on this, we developed an intelligent tool, which is used for experiments on evolving systems. We applied our approach to a number of real-world systems including: software system, natural language system, retail market system, and IMDb system. It results Stable NERs and Changeability Metric value for each evolving system.
Insect herbivory in an experimental agroecosystem: the relative importance of habitat area, fragmentation, and the matrix

Habitat area, fragmentation, and the surrounding matrix influence levels of herbivory in various ecosystems, but the relative importance of these effects has rarely been assessed. We compared levels of herbivory and densities of dominant arthropod herbivores (the hemipteran insects Agallia constricta, Empoasca fabae, Therioapbis trifolii, Lygus lineolaris and Halticus bractatus) among experimental plots that varied in the area and fragmentation of clover habitat and the composition of the matrix (bare ground or grass) surrounding clover habitat. To assess levels of herbivory, we compared clover biomass within herbivore exclosures to the biomass accessible to herbivores. The area and fragmentation of clover habitat, as well as matrix composition, significantly influenced the collective densities of herbivores, although each species exhibited unique responses to habitat structure. Herbivory was strongest in plots with large (64 m 2 ) as compared to small (16 m 2 ) amounts of clover habitat. The difference in clover biomass between the inside and outside of exclosures increased significantly with increasing density of Empoasca fabae but was unrelated to the densities of the other herbivores, suggesting that Empoasca fabae was an exceptionally important herbivore in this system. This study supports the view that herbivore densities and herbivory generally increase with increasing area of plant monocultures, but emphasizes that levels of herbivory may be driven primarily by one or a few key herbivore species.
The Selection of Academic Role Models by First Year University Students

Abstract The throughput rates of South African universities have been on the agenda of government and educational institutions for quite a while now. One of the factors that could impact university throughput rates positively is the influence of academic role models. Research has shown that adult role models sharing the same sex, race and/or age with the student could boost their academic performance. In light of this, this study aimed at exploring the differences between groups of first year sociology students at a South African urban university with regard to the criteria they use to select academic role models. The study was conducted at its main campus in 2011. A quantitative research methodology in the form of a self-administered survey was employed. It was found that the sociology first year students at the South African university considered academic qualifications/standing to be the most important criterion when selecting an academic role model compared to age and other socially ascribed statuses like race and sex. The findings of this study therefore diverge from the mainstream findings in the field of role models. This finding implies that the exclusive emphasis on making equity appointments within tertiary institutions in order to establish credible academic role models for university students should be revisited to make provision for a more complex approach, which goes beyond the focus on ascribed status.
Information, Market Incentives, and Student Performance

We use a discontinuity on the test score disclosure rule for the National Secondary Education Examination in Brazil to test whether test score disclosure affects student performance in public and private schools. We find that the impact of test score disclosure on student performance differs between public and private schools. Our results suggest that this difference is driven by differences in the market incentives faced by these two types of school.
Stand level analysis on the effects of management and climate change on the growth and timber yield with implications on carbon stocks in boreal forest ecosystem: a model based approach

The main aim of this study was to investigate based on process-based ecosystem model simulations how management and climate change affect the growth, timber yield and carbon stocks in boreal forest ecosystem (Papers I-II). In addition, it was studied how the management affects under varying climate the possibility to meet multi-purpose demands in regard to timber production, carbon sequestration and biodiversity (in terms of dead wood) based on a stochastic multi-criteria analysis (Paper IV). Simulations were carried out in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst. L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula) stands growing in the southern and northern Finland. In addition to current climate, two different climate change scenarios and eight different stand treatment programmes (i.e. one unthinned and seven thinning regimes) were applied in simulations over 100 years. The stand treatment programmes differed from each other in the sense that the mean stocking varied in the stand over the rotation. The simulation results were also used as data for a multi-criteria analysis, in which expected utility was calculated with an additive utility model (Paper IV). In this context, it was also utilized a wood products model developed (Paper III), to estimate carbon stocks in wood products. The model based analyses indicated that in unthinned stands, the growth and carbon stock was on an average always higher compared to thinned stands regardless of tree species, sites and climate scenarios compared (Papers I-II). However, in regard to thinning regimes, the one in which the mean stocking was kept an average higher over a rotation compared to the current thinning guidelines, had also a higher growth and timber yield (Paper I). This increased also the mean carbon stock both in the forest ecosystem and in the harvested timber compared to the current thinning guidelines (Paper II). The climate change (regardless of scenarios) in itself enhanced growth, timber yield and carbon stocks in relative terms more in the north than in the south regardless of tree species. The utility was also maximized, regardless of site, tree species and climate scenario applied, by leaving the stand unthinned over a rotation or alternatively by keeping the stocking level higher (e.g. 30% higher) over the simulation compared to the current thinning guidelines (Paper IV). When accurate weights for criteria of timber production, carbon sequestration and dead wood were used to reduce uncertainty, expected utility did not change noticeably. As a conclusion, the selection of stand treatment programme was found to have an important role, regardless of tree species, sites and climate scenarios, on the timber production, but also on other benefits such as carbon sequestration and amount of dead wood in the forest ecosystem.
Life history and environmental influences on population dynamics in sockeye salmon

Understanding linkages among life history traits, the environment, and population dynamics is a central goal in ecology. We compared 15 populations of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to test general hypotheses for the relative impor- tance of life history traits and environmental conditions in explaining variation in population dynamics. We used life history traits and habitat variables as covariates in mixed-effect Ricker models to evaluate the support for correlates of maximum population growth rates, density dependence, and variability in dynamics among populations. We found dramatic differences in the dynamics of populations that spawn in a small geographical area. These differences among populations were related to variation in habitats but not life history traits. Populations that spawned in deep water had higher and less variable population growth rates, and populations inhabiting streams with larger gravels experienced stronger negative density dependence. These results demonstrate, in these populations, the relative importance of environmental conditions and life histories in explaining population dynamics, which is rarely possible for multiple populations of the same species. Furthermore, they suggest that local habitat variables are important for the assessment of population status, especially when multiple populations with different dynamics are managed as aggregates. Resume : La comprehension des liens entre les caracteristiques du cycle biologique, le milieu ambiant et la dynamique des populations constitue un objectif central en ecologie. Nous avons compare 15 populations de saumons rouges (Oncorhynchus nerka) pour verifier des hypotheses generales concernant l'importance relative des caracteristiques du cycle biologique et des conditions ambiantes pour expliquer les variations de la dynamique des populations. Nous avons utilise des caracteristiques du cycle biologique et des variables reliees al'habitat comme covariables dans des modeles de Ricker aeffets mixtes pour evaluer
Metabolic regulation and genetic engineering of pharmaceutical component tanshinone biosynthesis in Salvia miltiorrhiza.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, called Dan shen in China, is a well-known traditional Chinese herb and has been used widely for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases due to its better performance and fewer side effects as confirmed in the long-time clinical use. Tanshinones, one class of lipid-soluble diterpene quinones from S. miltiorrhiza, were found to exhibit various pharmacological activities such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. Due to the great importance of tanshinone and to its complex chemical nature as well as low content in plants, many efforts have been made to improve tanshinone production including hairy root culture, elicitor treatment and genetic engineering with new advance in recent years. Pharmacological activities of tanshinones and metabolic regulation of tanshinones biosynthesis in S. miltiorrhiza were reviewed in this paper. Key words: Tanshinones, hairy root, elicitors, metabolic engineering.
EFFECT OF GAMMA IRRADIATION ON MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR TRAITS OF Brassica napus

This study was conducted to evaluate genetic diversity of the effect of gamma irradiation on three Brassica (Brassica napus) genotypes; Serw 4, Serw 6 and Pactol using morphological, physiological and molecular traits. In general, the best dose was the application of 300 Gy which stimulate plant growth to increase its active substances productivity. Among the five doses and three genotypes, 450 Gy and Pactol produced the highest seed/plant. For breeding purpose, moderate gamma rays with low physiological effect and strong genetic effects are desirable. The application of RAPD-PCR technique showed high similarity between control and the lowest dose (150 Gy) in genotypes Serw 4 and Pactol and between 450 and 600 Gy in genotype Serw 6. Depend on the RAPD-PCR and agronomic data; Serw 4 and Pactol are more related than Serw 6. The effect of gamma rays was more effective in Serw 6 rather than genotypes Serw 4 and Pactol. The higher genetic diversity index should be used as potential donor materials in breeding programs. There is, therefore, possibility for further improvement in B. napus mediated induced mutations, leading to a genetic improvement of a specific trait and the selection of economically important mutants.
THE EFFECTS OF TEACHER FIRMS' CHARACTERISTICS AND STUDENT FIRMS' ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY ON FIRM PERFORMANCE IN TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCES

With the dramatically changing technology and market environments, the importance of technology alliance to develop new products and technologies by utilizing firms' external knowledge has increased. In order to provide insight on the relationship between teacher characteristics and technology alliance performances, this study conceptualized an alliance structure according to Lane and Lubatkin's 'dyadic construct,' consisting of student firms which absorb knowledge and teacher firms that transfer knowledge. Then we analyzed the relationship between teacher firms' relative characteristics and student firms' performance of the technology alliance, using the empirical data of the Korean IT firms that are listed on Korean stock market during 1999–2005. From this analysis, we find that teacher characteristics, such as technology capability, technology similarity, and capability for knowledge transfer, influence the performance of technology alliance.
Grazing Management in Tropical Savannas: Utilization and Rest Strategies to Manipulate Rangeland Condition

Abstract Grazing management is important for sustaining the productivity and health of rangelands. However, the effects of grazing management on herbage growth and species composition in the tropical savannas of northern Australia are not well known. In this eight-year study the influences of utilization rate and resting pastures from grazing on vegetation dynamics were measured at three sites in northeast Queensland, Australia. The sites had high, medium, and low soil fertility, and there were two land condition classes (States I and II) at each site. Severe drought occurred during the first four years, but above-average rainfall was received in the second half of the study. High utilization rates reduced biomass, perennial grass basal area, and ground cover. The reduction in biomass was due to both higher consumption and decreased primary production. State I condition plots at the high and medium soil fertility sites were initially dominated by decreaser perennial grasses, but these declined at all utilization levels, particularly the high rate. They were largely replaced by exotic perennial grasses. At the low fertility site there were no exotic grasses, and the decreaser grasses increased in all treatments, with the increases greatest in plots with low utilization or medium utilization plus resting. In the State II condition plots at the high and medium fertility sites, low or moderate utilization, led to an increase in both decreaser and exotic perennial grasses; with high utilization the decreaser perennial grasses declined and were replaced largely by exotic perennial grasses. This study clearly demonstrated that either conservative stocking with year-round grazing or a grazing system that includes some wet-season resting will help maintain land in a desirable state or help facilitate the transition from a less desirable ecological state to one more desirable for pastoral production and rangeland condition.
Understanding barriers and opportunities for adaptation planning in cities

This paper analyzes barriers and opportunities for effective adaptation planning in cities. In particular, we focus on the preparation and adoption of adaptation strategies and action plans by urban planners. To guide the discussion, we develop a two-tier framework of variables influencing decision-making, which is based on bounded rationality. We argue that whether or not urban planners take action to foster adaptation to climate change depends on three first-tier variables: information, incentives and resources. In addition, we point out that each of these variables may itself be a function of a set of underlying second-tier variables, including the natural and socio-economic environment, actor-specific characteristics of the decision-maker, and the institutional environment. Within this framework, we specify barriers and opportunities for effective adaptation planning as hampering or promoting characteristics of these first- and second-tier variables. We apply and test the framework within the context of four case studies carried out in Lima (Peru), Santiago (Chile), Berlin and Sangerhausen (both Germany).