Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding Pesticide Use Safety Decisions: Application of Health Behavior Theory

Pesticide associated health effects are serious public concerns in Pakistan. Therefore, understanding of farmer's risk perception and safety behavior is important for appropriate policy interventions. This study sought help from social psychology to explain farmer's safety behavior. Referencing Health Belief Model from social psychology, it examined "whether or not adverse health experiences play a part in shaping farmer's attitude and safety behavior". The research has exhibited a strong support for the hypothesis. The results of the study indicated that there is significant positive relationship between health effects experienced by the farmers due to the pesticide exposure and their risk perception toward the seriousness of health effects. Moreover, a strong positive relationship was also found between hazardous health experiences from pesticides and the use of safety measures. This implies that to improve awareness, specific and relevant information regarding the health and environmental risks of using pesticide should be provided to farmers through various training programs. The government must design effective outreach programs through farmer field schools, electronic and print media unleashing the health risk of pesticide use, averting behavior and better management of pesticides.
Isolation of polyvinyl chloride degrading bacterial strains from environmental samples using enrichment culture technique

Plastic causes serious damage to the environment, both during its production and disposal. Biodegradation of plastic waste using microbial strain could offer a solution to the problem. Microorganisms have been a good resource for solution to this problem due to their diverse metabolic capability, adaptability to different environment and possibility of isolation using artificial growth media for utilization in situ. In the present investigation, potent microbial strains degrading plastic constituting polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were isolated using enrichment culture technique. To increase the chances of isolating such strain which could have adapted to metabolize plastic constituting polymers, samples were collected from different environmental sites that were rich in plastic waste. These samples were used as a source of microbial culture for enrichment of potential PVC degraders. After then, some bacterial species were subsequently isolated on solid agar medium containing emulsified PVC polymer. The strain PVC 4 characterized as Micrococcus species was found to be more efficient among the other isolates and was chosen for further studies. The biodegradability of PVC by Micrococcus species with PVC as a sole carbon source was determined by their ability to release chloride from PVC polymer, increase their cell density in test media, carbon dioxide production and growth on the surface of PVC film in plate assay. The Micrococcus species showed 0.36% release of chloride and 8.87% mineralization measured in terms of carbon dioxide evolution respectively over a period of 70 days in PVC containing media. The increase in cell density in liquid growth media constituting PVC polymer as a sole source of carbon and growth of cells on the surface of PVC film further substantiate the potential of isolated strain for PVC utilization.
Self as Teacher: Preliminary Role Identification of the Potential Teaching Candidate.

In this study, the researchers used qualitative surveys to explore potential teaching candidates' preliminary perceptions of self as teacher and examine how roles are identified, defined and constructed in the context of a tutoring lab that provides support to English Language Learners. Prospective candidates' perceptions of their tutees, children whose cultural identities and backgrounds differ from their own, are also examined. Findings indicate participants' teaching identities and conceptualizations of their roles as teachers became more specific and elaborated over the course of the semester. Additionally, the significance of multiple practicum experiences in diverse settings for ongoing identity development and for developing knowledge about culturally and linguistically diverse school children was also clear.
Relaxation as a supportive method in chronic, non-malignant pain treatment: a review 2007-2014

Common phenomenon of chronic pain is accompanied and determined by the physiological, psychological and so‐ cial disturbances, decreasing the quality of life. That is the reason to lead multidimensional chronic pain treatment. Not only conventional methods are applied, also alternative, including relaxation. The aim of this review is the ef‐ fectiveness of relaxation techniques in non‐cancer, chronic pain intensity reduction in adults. Analysis was based on 317 documents retrieved from the PubMed/Medline, Science Direct/Scopus databases in years 2007‐2014, referring to the impact of relaxation techniques on chronic, non‐cancer pain level in adults. Considering inclusion criteria only 39 articles were qualified to be recognized and cited in this review. They were presented and compared considering the impact of relaxation techniques on pain intensity for chronic non‐cancer pain in adults. This survey present different fields and medical conditions related to chronic pain, where a possibility of using var‐ ied relaxation techniques appeared. These results indicate that relaxation techniques might be useful as a comple‐ mentary and supportive therapy for treatment of chronic, non‐cancer pain. Future research should include more pre‐ cise systematics to set its efficacy.
The Impact of Financial, Non-Financial, and Corporate Governance Attributes on the Practice of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Based Environmental Disclosure

Business entities are able to exert their influence on particular stakeholders for the benefit of their interest by managing the information they disseminate to the public, particularly if there is no regulation on such issue in place. Accordingly, the extent of accounting information disclosed to the public, specifically voluntary environmental information, is determined by the internal characteristics of the business entities. The objective of this research is to test the financial, non-financial, and corporate governance attributes of Indonesian public companies which contribute to the extent of environmental information disclosure in Indonesia. This research measured the extent of Indonesian public companies’ environmental disclosure using Environmental Disclosure Index (EDI) as a dependent variable. The index is developed from the parameters under environmental protocols of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3 framework. Samples of 35 Indonesian public companies are purposively chosen for each of the year from 2005-2008 to form a total of 140 observations. The testing results conclude that size of company, economic performance, and industry sensitivity positively affect environmental disclosure. This research is limited by an assumption that Indonesian public companies employ annual report as the primary means to publicize financial and non-financial information to public.
Experimental manipulation of breeding density and litter size: effects on reproductive success in the bank vole

1. Reproductive success of individual females may be determined by density-dependent effects, especially in species where territory provides the resources for a reproducing female and territory size is inversely density-dependent. 2. We manipulated simultaneously the reproductive effort (litter size manipulation: ± 0 and + 2 pups) and breeding density (low and high) of nursing female bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus in outdoor enclosures. We studied whether the reproductive success (number and quality of offspring) of individual females is density-dependent, and whether females can compensate for increased reproductive effort when not limited by saturated breeding density. 3. The females nursing their young in the low density weaned significantly more offspring than females in the high density, independent of litter manipulation. 4. Litter enlargements did not increase the number of weanlings per female, but offspring from enlarged litters had lower weight than control litters. 5. In the reduced density females increased the size of their home range, but litter manipulation had no significant effect on spacing behaviour of females. Increased home range size did not result in heavier weanlings. 6. Mother's failure to successfully wean any offspring was more common in the high density treatment, whereas litter manipulation or mother's weight did not affect weaning success. 7. We conclude that reproductive success of bank vole females is negatively density-dependent in terms of number, but not in the quality of weanlings. 8. The nursing effort of females (i.e. the ability to provide enough food for pups) seems not to be limited by density-dependent factors.
A mixture model to assess the effect of hormonal stimulation on the development of follicles in prepubertal heifers

The goal of this study is to assess the effect of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) on the growth of follicles in prepubertal heifers. Adams and co-workers have shown that follicles develop in waves as in post-pubertal heifers: after a few days, a dominant follicle arises on one of the two ovaries whereas the other subordinate follicles regress. The dominant follicle remains detectable when the next wave occurs. The number and the diameters of these follicles have been measured for 14 days. The same experiment was repeated after a 3-day FSH stimulation. Several large follicles now arise simultaneously on both ovaries together with small follicles which cannot be detected any more when the next wave occurs. Unfortunately, follicles were not individually tracked. Therefore a three-component mixture model was used to describe the potential simultaneous observation of dominant, decaying dominant and subordinate follicles before the FSH stimulation; the same type of model was considered for large, decaying large and small follicles after the hormonal stimulation. Moreover, for technical reasons, only follicles larger than 2 mm are observable. Measurements were thus left truncated. The models fitted are used to quantify the effects of the stimulation and to determine the ideal time point at which follicles should be punctured under ultrasonography to harvest ovocytes that will be fertilized and cultured in vitro.
Firm­level investment spikes and aggregate investment over the Great Recession

It is widely accepted that ﬁrm-level investment is characterised by periods of low investment punctuated by ‘spikes’ but widely debated whether such lumpiness matters for aggregate investment. We provide new empirical evidence that variation in UK aggregate investment is driven by variation in the number of ﬁrms undertaking investment spikes; this pattern holds for all sectors and across the business cycle. We set out and estimate a tractable ﬁrm-level model of the timing of investment spikes that incorporates the eﬀect of speciﬁc macroeconomic factors and aggregates to match observed variation in aggregate investment. Using simulations, we establish that low demand growth was the dominant factor inhibiting UK ﬁrms’ investment spikes immediately following Great Recession, while heightened uncertainty prolonged low investment and prevented a ‘v-shaped’ economic recovery. We use the Great Recession as a source of exogenous variation with which to study heterogeneity in response to aggregate shocks. We ﬁnd that the minority of ﬁrms operating with persistently high-debt levels - and therefore with balance sheets more exposed to the costs of ﬁnancial distress - were signiﬁcantly less likely to undertake an investment spike following the recession.
Omani Students’ Application of the Second Standard for Technology Coaches in Internship Program

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which Omani students apply In- ternational Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) second standard for technology coaches and its relation with gender, training institution type, student’s specialization, GPA and cohort. A questionnaire of twenty three items to measure the components of the second standard was derived from these components and used. A sample of 171 students was used to collect data. Onsite supervisors were used to evaluate students’ application of the second standard. The re- sults indicate that the overall performance of the students reflects a reasonable and acceptable performance but does not reach the target and desirable performance. Statistical analysis shows no significant differences due to gender, and cohort but there were significant differences due to students’ specialization, institution type and students’ GPA. The study concludes with some recommendations to improve the weak components and revise the procedures and processes of the internship program
Online Buyer's Perspective of E-Shops Credibility: Measurement Dimensions

Addressing the debated topic of credibility in online sales, the present study analyses buyer's perspective. The study develops from the literature to test and refine a multi-dimensional measurement of e-shops credibility. Consumer's criteria for assessing e-shops credibility are empirically examined with 817 Romanian student participants. Detailed approach and methodology, as well as the results obtained, research conclusions, limitations, and implications, are presented. The study advances an instrument which reveals new dimensions of establishing credibility although most aspects were found to be similar to results previously presented in other studies. The proposed instrument offers a new multidimensional measurement and knowledge resources for business committed to using Internet advantages, and it might be viewed as a strategic tool which enables e-shops owners to strengthen their market presence, e-sales and customer base through an adequate management of the knowledge regarding online credibility.
Two-way sex change in the endangered limpet Patella ferruginea (Mollusca, Gastropoda)

Direct observations of sex change were made on the endangered limpet Patella ferruginea in Chafarinas Islands (Alboran Sea) between 2006 and 2011. Individuals of the species were sexed and tagged during spawning season for subsequent monitoring to determine possible sex changes. Mortality was minimized by following a carefully designed sexing protocol. Out of 49 tagged specimens (41–88 mm in size) that could be sexed in successive years (28 males and 21 females), 16 males changed into females between consecutive years (50.0% of males smaller than 70 mm and 100% of males larger than this size), while two females changed sex to males between consecutive spawning seasons (both were smaller than 70 mm). Overall, 36.7% of the limpets monitored changed sex between consecutive years: 57.1% of males became females and 9.5% of females changed to males These observations confirms the occurrence of two-way sex change, or reverse sequential hermaphroditism, in P. ferruginea. Our findings unveil this sexual strategy in this endangered limpet and provide new direction for studies designed to address the mechanisms and factors that determine sex change and its effects on population dynamics.
Socially Determined Time Preference in Discrete Time

The aim of the paper is to develop a discrete time version of a one-sector optimal growth model with endogenous time preference. The intertemporal discount rate is determined by social factors (i.e., factors that are external to the individual agent), namely the economy wide levels of consumption and income. In continuous time, the combined effect of the previous factors is known to eventually produce local indeterminacy, instead of the well known saddle-path equilibrium of the standard Ramsey model. In discrete time, the possibility of local indeterminacy is explored under several types of Ramsey models with endogenous time preference: neo-classical and endogenous growth models, and models with production externalities and endogenous labor supply. Besides finding various possibilities regarding local dynamics, we also find that one of the models can give place to endogenous fluctuations, although this occurs only under rather exceptional circumstances.
Control of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) by using plant oils and extract.

To evaluate the acaricidal effects of some plant oils and tobacco extract on Varroa destructor mites, a study was conducted in laboratory as well as in bee hives at Honeybee Research Institute, NARC, Islamabad. In the lab experiments, clove oil and tobacco extract both proved to be equally effective against mites. The treatments were significantly effective when applied in 5% as compared to 10 and 15% concentrations. The most effective combination was clove oil and tobacco extract when used in 5% concentration for 24 h. In the field experiment all the oils/extract individually and in combinations confirmed clove oil + tobacco extract (T14) the best combination with 96.48±0.52 efficacy. The honey produced in kg was found maximum 20.5±0.29 in treatment T14. The highest number of fallen Varroa mites 381.67±24.31 was also occurred in T14 treatment and difference between the treatments was highly significant. No queens were lost and there was no adult honeybee mortality in any of the colonies during the experiment. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was applied to all laboratory and field experiments. It was concluded that clove oil + tobacco extract (T14) can play an important role in an integrated pest management program to control Varroa mite in honeybee colonies.
Exploring graduate teachers' perceptions of their praxis after an AELS course

While speakers of English as an additional language are more common than native English speakers, most English teachers do not know how to teach plurilingual learners in their classrooms. Though studies have looked at the effect of teacher education on praxis, there is a dearth of studies in South Africa that have examined teachers’ perceptions of their praxis after a course on bilingual education models and practices. This study investigates whether in-service teachers feel that the ‘Paradigms and Methods in Applied English Language Studies’ course helped them to further develop their praxis. Students’ weekly reflection pieces were examined for evidence of critical reflection before interviews were conducted with three students who have taught, or are currently teaching in under-resourced areas. All participants reported that they had developed a more bilingual teaching praxis, but they often felt unsure of how to practically implement their learning from the course. Based on this finding two recommendations to lecturers and course coordinators of AELS courses are provided. Teacher praxis could be strengthened by 1) referring students to articles on bilingual education models and practices that mirror their teaching contexts and 2) explicitly teaching students how to reflect on implementing the theories that they have learned during the course within their classrooms.
Inflation models, optimal monetary policy and uncertain unemployment dynamics: Evidence from the US and the euro area

This paper explores the role that model uncertainty plays in determining the effect of monetary policy shocks on unemployment dynamics in the euro area and the US. We specify a range of BVARs that differ in terms of variables, lag structure, and the way the inflation process is modelled. For each model the central bank sets the interest rate minimizing a loss function. Given this solution, we quantify the impact of a monetary policy shock on unemployment for each model, and measure the degree of uncertainty as represented by the dispersion of both the policy rule parameters and the impulse response functions between models. The comparative evidence from the US and the euro area data indicates that model uncertainty is indeed an important feature, and that a model combination strategy might be a valuable advise to policymakers.
RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSACTIONS COSTS AND MARKETED SURPLUS IN KENYA

We develop a conceptual framework for quantifying fixed transactions costs facing semisubsistence households. Using household survey data from a sample of 324 Kenyan maize farmers, we generate estimates of household supply and demand schedules, as well as the price bands that they face. Our econometric results indicate that on average the ad valorem tax equivalent of the fixed transactions costs facing the households in our sample is 28%. Additional analysis indicates that both remoteness and infrastructure quality have significant impacts on the size of the transactions costs facing farm households. To the best of our knowledge, ours are the first empirical estimates of the magnitude of transactions costs.
Study on uptake of PLA-Pluronic P85-PLA nanoparticles with Caco-2 cells

Keywords: PLA-Pluronic P85-PLA; nanoparticle; insulin; Caco-2 cell; uptake Abstract. We have shown that insulin-loaded Poly(lactic acid)-b-Pluronic-b-poly(lactic acid) nanoparticles (PLA-P85-PLA-NPs) had the hypoglycemic effect after oral administration on diabetic mice. In the present work, free insulin (INS) as controls, the influence of some factors such as time, temperature, pH level, and INS concentration on the uptake efficacy of PLA-P85-PLA-NPs as drug carriers were investigated through a Caco-2 cells. The micrographs of Caco-2 cell model were observed by microscopy. The cytotoxicity of PLA-P85-PLA-NPs in vitro was evaluated by MTT assay. The insulin concentrations in Caco-2 cells were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Compared with INS groups, PLA-P85-PLA-NPs uptake was not controlled by pH levels. PLA-P85-PLA-NPs can be uptake by Caco-2 cells, and the absorption of PLA-P85-PLA-NPs is dependent on the concentration and incubation time. INS-loaded PLA-P85-PLA-NPs significantly enhanced insulin absorption. These results suggest that PLA-P85-PLA-NPs were more efficient than individual drugs into Caco-2 cells in a short period of time, and PLA-P85-PLA-NPs might be a useful drug carrier for proteins and peptides.
Successes and Challenges of Syrian Refugee Children in Canada: Language and Literacy

The Government of Canada has supported and provided assistance to welcome and receive Syrian refugees. Since late 2015, the Government of Canada has resettled 40,081 Syrian refugees, and families with young children constitute most of the refugees (Government of Canada, 2016). After arriving in Canada, refugee children continue to be at a disadvantage due to challenges related to language proficiency and literacy skills. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that contribute to the successes and challenges in language and literacy development in both languages, Arabic as the first language (L1) and English as the second language (L2) of Syrian refugee children. Seventeen Syrian refugee families with children between the ages of six and twelve years old were recruited. Two children from each family were recruited into one of two groups, a younger age group (6 to 8 years) and an older age group (9-12 years) with 16 males and 18 females for a total of 34 children. Several measures (receptive vocabulary, phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and word reading) were used to assess children’s language and literacy skills in both languages. Also, parents were interviewed to explore the child and family factors that could correlate with the language and literacy development. The outcomes revealed that the individual factors related to child development (i.e., cognitive abilities, chronological age, age of arrival, and length of exposure to the L2, and attending school) play a significant role in the L1 and L2 acquisition. The results revealed that phonological awareness skill was a strong and unique predictor of word reading within and a cross language among bilingual Syrian refugee children. Finally, the findings of this study provided baseline information on the levels of language and literacy achieved by Syrian refugee children who recently settled in Canada.