Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Examining trends in taste preference, market demand, and annual catch in an indigenous marine turtle fishery in southwest Madagascar

Marine turtles have been exploited worldwide throughout human history. Products gleaned from marine turtles include decorations and tools from their carapaces, leather from their skin, and food from turtle eggs and meat. Because of overexploitation and a combination of relatively newer threats such as pollution, habitat loss, and incidental fisheries take, all marine turtle species are considered to be threatened or endangered. The hunting of marine turtles is an ancestral tradition among Madagascar's coastal inhabitants that has increased in economic value within the last century. Although Madagascar's marine turtles have been legally protected from exploitation since the country ratified CITES in 1973, hunting continues due to lack and difficulty of enforcement. Marine turtle fishing has been monitored in the village of Ifaty in the Tulear region of southwest Madagscar by the UK NGO Reef Doctor since 2008 through the present year. Using an analysis of this annual catch data as an indication of fishing trends, I conducted a pilot taste preference study as a means to gauge local demand for turtle meat, the main product used from marine turtles in the region, and to ascertain the existence of a relationship between meat preference and demographic characteristics of participants. Accompanied by my on-site advisor who also functioned as my translator, I conducted interviews over a period of one week in the village of Ifaty. Results of these interviews indicated turtle as the 4 th most preferred among 8 of the most commonly available meat sources. By age group, turtle meat was ranked 4 th by participants in age groups 18-26, 27-35, and 36-50. Participants in the age group 50 and older ranked turtle meat as their 3 rd most preferred meat. The annual catch of marine turtles averaged over 2008-2010 revealed an average of 134 (±32.60) turtles caught per year with the majority of these being female green sea turtles 50-90 cm in straight carapace length, trending toward the capture of turtles greater than 70 cm. Estimations for marine turtle populations in the area are nonexistent. The high growth rate of the human population and the increasing number of coastal migrantscoupled with an unchanging demand for turtle meat, however, may suggest future increases in demand on the marine turtle fishery.
A Framework for Using Consequential Validity Evidence in Evaluating Large-Scale Writing Assessments: A Canadian Study

The increasing diversity of students in contemporary classrooms and the concomitant increase in large-scale testing programs highlight the importance of developing writing assessment programs that are sensitive to the challenges of assessing diverse populations. To this end, this paper provides a framework for conducting consequential validity research on large-scale writing assessment programs. It illustrates this validity model through a series of instrumental case studies drawing on the research literature conducted on writing assessment programs in Canada. We derived the cases from a systematic review of the literature published between January 2000 and December 2012 that directly examined the consequences of large-scale writing assessment on writing instruction in Canadian schools. We also conducted a systematic review of the publicly available documentation published on Canadian provincial and territorial government websites that discussed the purposes and uses of their large-scale writing assessment programs. We argue that this model of constructing consequential validity research provides researchers, test developers, and test users with a clearer, more systematic approach to examining the effects of assessment on diverse populations of students. We also argue that this model will enable the development of stronger, more integrated validity arguments.
CONSUMERS ACCEPTANCE TOWARDS GREEN TECHNOLOGY IN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES

The environmental global issues reposition industries to produce more environmental friendly product that will reduce damages towards global environment leading to adoption of green technology including automotive industries. However, Malaysian consumers’ readiness to accept green technology embedded in vehicle need researching. Based on cost and benefit analysis, this research aims at revealing buying decision on vehicle adopting green technology testing on sample of regression is used. The study reveals that Malaysian consumers acceptance of environmental friendly products are still low, hence, this study provides future insight to the industries on consumer level of intention to purchase green technology based vehicle and how to move further in the technology is recommended.
Bilingual Medium of Instruction: Effects on Students Conceptual Understanding, Problem Solving Performance and Interest in Mathematics

This study investigates the effects of using bilingual medium of instruction (Meranaw-Filipino) on students’ conceptual understanding, problem solving performance, and interest in mathematics. It employed quasi-experimental design. Participants of the study consisted of two intact classes of Grade 7 students matched based on their Mathematics 7 grades during the second grading period of the school year 2016 – 2017. The researcher constructed three research instruments such as Conceptual Understanding Test (CUT), Problem Solving Performance Test (PSPT), and Mathematics Survey (MIS). Findings revealed an increase of the number of students from the experimental group from low to moderate in terms of their level of conceptual understanding and from interested to very interested level in mathematics. In the aspect of problem solving performance, both groups shows no increase, however there is a significant difference between the control and experimental groups of students’ conceptual understanding, problem solving performance and interest in mathematics before and after intervention in favor of the experimental group. Students’ perceived that they had better comprehension; learned fast, and were more interested in learning mathematics using bilingual medium of instruction in teaching mathematics. This suggests that the use of the bilingual medium of instruction was found to be beneficial in improving students’ conceptual understanding, problem solving performance, and interest in mathematics than using English only as medium of instruction in teaching. Thus, the school administrator should encourage their teachers the use of bilingual as medium of instruction in teaching mathematics.
Determinants of the Performance of Firms Listed At the Nairobi Securities Exchange

This study analyzed the factors affecting the performance of 41 non-financial companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) using panel data over the period 2003 to 2013. A Hausman test results suggested the application of a random effects model for ROA and a fixed effects model for ROE. The empirical results of the estimation of both ROA and ROE show that corporate governance was statistically significant in determining the performance of firms and it had the expected sign (Positive). The leverage of the firm also had the expected negative sign and was statistically significant in explaining the performance of companies. Firm size and liquidity were however found to be statistically insignificant in determining the performance of these firms. Any limitations/suggestions for areas of further research/cross-reference! Keywords: Financial performance, Liquidity, Leverage, Nairobi Security Exchange, Return on Assets, and Return on Equity
Fertilizer-Mediated Ditrophic Interactions between Aphis gossypii and Cucumber

The effects of different fertilizers including ‘Cow manure’, ‘Vermicompost’, ‘NPK’ (20-2020 NPK), ‘NPKBN’ (NPK+Azotobacter vinelandii), ‘NPKBP’ (NPK+Pantoea agglomerans+Pseudomonas putida), and ‘NPKBNBP’ (NPK+Azotobacter vinelandii+Pantoea agglomerans+Pseudomonas putida) were compared with the control treatment. Comparisons included not only the nutrient and chlorophyll content of cucumber leaves, but also the demographic parameters and body size of Aphis gossypii Glover. The highest nitrogen content (2.45%) was observed in ‘NPKBN’ and the highest phosphorus, along with potassium content (0.58 and 12.17%, respectively) was observed in ‘cow manure’ treatment. The highest chlorophyll content (37.51 SPAD units) was measured in ‘NPKBNBP’ treatment. Results showed that the intrinsic rate of increase (r) varied from 0.409 (in ‘Cow manure’) to 0.480 d (in ‘NPKBP’) under application of different fertilizers. Net Reproductive rate (R0) varied from 71.65 to 79.25 nymphs/individual in ‘Vermicompost’ and ‘NPKBP’ treatments, respectively. The largest (1.28 mm) and smallest (1.00 mm) body length of the aphids was measured on ‘Vermicompost’ and ‘Control’, respectively. Results revealed that ‘NPKBP’ was the most suitable fertilizer for population growth of A. gossypii, compared with the other treatments, and the aphid’s longevity and fecundity was relatively low under ‘Vermicompost’ application.
Extraction of Chemical Constituents of Bitumen Using a Mixed Solvent System

Several solvents had been used to extract the SARA (Saturate, Aromatic, Resin and Asphaltene) constituents of bitumen. The quantification of such extracts also abounds in open literature but in this work an attempt was made to determine the quality of extraction as a feed stock for processing bitumen using a mixed solvent system. A mixture of heptane and toluene was used to compare with the standard method using heptane. The components were analysed for functional groups of compound types presented in them using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry technique (FTIR). The quality of bitumen component extract was not significantly affected by the method of extraction as recommended by the ASTM. The components are mixture of different class of hydrocarbons such as saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons which conformed to what had earlier been reported by other researchers.
"Indenturing the Body": Traditional Masculine Role Norms, Body Image Discrepancy, and Muscularity in a Sample of South African Indian Boys

This paper investigates the relationship between traditional masculine role norms, body image discrepancy, body appearance schemas, and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance in a sample of 495 South African Indian school going boys aged 13 to 18 years. Constructs were measured using the Masculine Role Norms Inventory, Lynch and Zellner’s Body Figure Drawings (1999), Appearance Schemas Inventory, and the Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Scale-3. Analysis revealed a localized hegemonic masculinity of nonviolence, and a significant association between traditional masculinity norms of status-seeking, heteronormativity, anti-femininity, and restrictive emotionality, with body image discrepancy. Sociocultural attitudes towards appearance favoured athletic muscularity as a body ideal coinciding with heterosexist scripts, perceptions of mesomorph physiques in Bollywood cinema, and steroid use.
The Effectiveness of Model-Based Instruction on Student Achievement and Student Metacognition in Advanced Chemistry Classes

Idea, representation, theoretical model, mathematical model Types of “Thing” modeled Objects Clothes, buildings, airplanes Abstractions Ideal behavior, an idea (of how to build), a concept or species (model of a frog . ) Relationship Exactly alike ---Visually alike ---Alike, except different scale ---Relationally similar ---Awareness of modeler Mentions modeler spontaneously in describing models ---Note. From “Understanding models and their use in science: Conceptions of middle and high school students and experts,” by L. Grosslight, C. Unger, E. Jay and C. Smith, 1991. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 28(9), pp. 799-822. Copyright 1991 by National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). Johnstone (1991) further describes representations used by educators in chemistry as existing at one of three levels—the macroscopic, the sub-microscopic, and the symbolic. The macroscopic level of representations refers to experiments and experiences within the classroom, sub-microscopic refers to particles within an observable sample of matter, and symbolic is used to 1 The term particulate has replaced sub-microscopic within many curriculum guides and published science standards for chemistry (College Board, 2014; GSE, 2016). 16 address the qualities or characteristics of the matter under study (Chittleborough, 2014; Johnstone, 1991; Talanquer, 2011; Taber, 2013). Figure 1 illustrates Johnstone’s levels of representation as a triangle in which each side of the triangle represents a continuum, meaning any of the levels can be used in combination in teaching chemistry. Figure 1. Johnstone’s Triangle detailing the Three Levels of Chemistry by A. Edwards. Adapted from “Why is science so difficult to learn? Things are seldom what they seem. ” By A. Johnstone. Copyright 1991 by Journal of Computer Assisted Learning and “Translating across macroscopic, submicroscopic, and symbolic levels: the role of instructor facilitation in an inquiry-oriented physical chemistry class” by N. Becker, C. Stanford, M. Towns, & R. Cole. Copyright 2015 by Royal Society of Chemistry. For the purposes of this study, “model” will be defined using the definition developed by Schwarz and White (2005): “a set of representations, rules, and reasoning structures that allow one to generate predictions and explanations” (p. 166). Models are exemplified by scale drawings, prototypes, computer simulations, mathematical equations, graphs, manipulatives, physical gestures, and analogies, among other things (Coll, 2006; Gilbert, 2004; Grosslight, Unger, Jay, & Smith, 1991; Justi, 2002; Justi & Gilbert, 2002b; Schwarz & White, 2005). Further, the use of
Modified DTC of a Six-Phase Induction Motor With a Second-Order Sliding-Mode MRAS-Based Speed Estimator

This paper deals with a model reference adaptive system (MRAS) estimator based on the second-order sliding-mode (SOSM) strategy for speed-sensorless direct torque control (DTC) of a six-phase induction motor. A compensated flux observer is proposed using the well-known supertwisting algorithm, which is inherently an SOSM technique. This observer is adopted as the reference model in the MRAS-based speed estimator to overcome the chattering problem of the classical sliding-mode techniques. The estimator is robust against parameter uncertainties and dc offsets. In addition, a supertwisting-algorithm-based second-order sliding-mode (ST-SOSM) controller is designed for the speed loop in the DTC strategy to increase its robustness under applying external load disturbances. The speed control loop needs the load torque signal. For this purpose, an ST-SOSM load torque observer is proposed, where it provides a robust performance without the penalty of high chattering. Simulation and experimental results confirm the validity and the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.
Understanding the role of resveratrol in major neurological and lifestyle diseases: an insight into molecular mechanisms anddruggability

Progressive research of last five decades has gathered encourageable data on many edible plant products which showed protective and ameliorative efficacy against various disease profiles. Several medicinal formulations also have targeted such plant products as an alternative drug-source for the treatment of cardiovascular complications, ageing, cancer, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. Among several phytocomponents, Resveratrol (RES) is notable for robust functional contributions and ameliorative properties. RES is considered as one of the most potent naturally occurring polyphenol to fight against oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. RES is abundantly found in grapes, red wine, peanuts, and some berries. Preclinical experimental studies carried out in this regard, have shown that RES possess numerous biological activities, with possible therapeutic effects in the prevention and treatment of many commonly occurring diseases. In oral administration spectrum, RES was found to be rapidly absorbed by human body; but, owing to high rate of metabolism, exhibiting relatively low bioavailability. In short-term supplementation, it significantly improves the metabolic disorders in patients with type 2 diabetes and other glucose and lipid-induced complications. Experimental studies suggested that, RES exerts beneficial contribution in the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders and cancer; however, the exact mechanisms of action are yet to demonstrate. Moreover, clinical trials are currently very limited and therefore, more research is the need of time. In the present review we have accumulated most of the beneficial contributions of RES and highlighted the possible therapeutic interventions against major disease profiles.
Statistical analysis and optimization of copper biosorption capability by Oenococcus oeni PSU-1

2+ with a high percentage (28%), in comparison to other heavy metals. The Plackett-Burman design was applied and eleven variables were examined. The increase in Cu 2+ biosorption was mainly affected by Cu 2+ concentration, cell immobilization and mixing speed. These three variables were further adopted by the three-level Box– Behnken design to correlate between the three variables and to estimate the optimal conditions required for Cu 2+ biosorption. Although the maximum value for Cu 2+ biosorption was 85%, the calculated optimum percentage was 72%, which was a 2.57-fold increase over that in basal medium. The estimated optimum values for Cu
Population size of the Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus in Catalonia

The Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus was first recorded in Barcelona city in 1974, and by 1994 its population had grown to 850 individuals. The aim of the work reported herein was to produce an updated estimate of its current population size both in Barcelona city and in Catalonia, as this information is essential for predicting the spread of this invasive species in the near future. Post-reproductive population size was estimated indirectly during September and October 2001, by counting the total number of nests and chambers present, and estimating the mean number of individuals roosting per chamber (n = 129 chambers). Given totals of 313 nests in Barcelona and 492 in Catalonia, and an occupancy rate of 1.52 (SD = 1.80) birds per chamber, we estimated the Monk Parakeet population in Barcelona city at 1,441±265 individuals and that of Catalonia at 2,199±392 individuals. In Barcelona the detected population growth fits an exponential model, with a current population-doubling time of approximately nine years. From a direct inspection of 146 chambers for breeding activity, we estimated the number of breeding pairs in Catalonia in 2001 at 610-650 pairs, of which 402 were in Barcelona. The Monk Parakeet population has shown a marked range expansion in Barcelona and substantial population growth in several areas around the city. The species has also expanded its range all around Catalonia, and has already colonized important crop-growing areas. This could point towards possible problems in the future, and the advisability of active management of the species before too long.
Maximum entropy production principle in physics , chemistry and biology

The tendency of the entropy to a maximum as an isolated system is relaxed to the equilibrium (the second law of thermodynamics) has been known since the mid-19th century. However, independent theoretical and applied studies, which suggested the maximization of the entropy production during nonequilibrium processes (the so-called maximum entropy production principle, MEPP), appeared in the 20th century. Publications on this topic were fragmented and different research teams, which were concerned with this principle, were unaware of studies performed by other scientists. As a result, the recognition and the use of MEPP by a wider circle of researchers were considerably delayed. The objectives of the present review consist in summation and analysis of studies dealing with MEPP. The first part of the review is concerned with the thermodynamic and statistical basis of the principle (including the relationship of MEPP with the second law of thermodynamics and Prigogine’s principle). Various existing applications of the principle to analysis of nonequilibrium systems will be discussed in the second part. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 05.70. Ln; 05.20. −y; 05.65. +b
New Estimates of the Effect of Temporary Employment on Absenteeism.

Restrictive employment protection legislation has been highlighted as one of the key reasons for lower labour productivity in Europe compared to the US. A variety of channels have been suggested, including recently a focus on the direct effect of employment protection on worker effort decisions. This paper uses longitudinal data from Spain and legislative changes aimed at reducing the incidence of temporary employment to estimate the causal effect of employment protection on one aspect of effort, absenteeism. We demonstrate a large effect of employment protection on absenteeism, one that is markedly larger than that identified in previous studies. We then use this information to estimate the cost of this absence in terms of lost productivity. Our results suggest that cross-countries differences in employment protection can, through its effect on worker effort, have a substantial impact on labour productivity. JEL codes: J22, J38
Does the ‘California effect’ operate across borders? Trading- and investing-up in automobile emission standards

The ‘California effect’ hypothesis posits that economic integration may lead to the ratcheting upwards of regulatory standards towards levels found in higher-regulating jurisdictions. Although a number of previous large sample quantitative studies have investigated such convergence dynamics for public environmental policies, their results have been based exclusively on geographically and sectorally aggregated data. Our contribution advances on these studies. We provide the first large-N, geographically disaggregated evidence consistent with a trading-up effect: exports of automobiles and related components from developing countries to countries with more stringent automobile emission standards are found to be associated with more stringent domestic emission standards. Investing-up dynamics are also apparent, with aggregate inward foreign direct investment into host developing economies’ automotive sector increasing the likelihood of more stringent emission standards domestically.
Awareness Level on Mental Illness Among Secondary School Students in Skudai, Johor

Adolescents diagnosed with mental illness in Malaysia have increased these past few years despite various health campaigns and awareness programs organised by the government and private sectors. Thus, this research aims to investigate the students’ awareness level and perception on mental illness. Questionnaires have been distributed to 118 form four secondary school students in Skudai, Johor. Findings from the study show that most of the respondents are fairly ignorant of mental illness and they revealed that the promotion of mental health and wellness is still lacking in Malaysia. They also believed that mental illness is still being surrounded with stigma and discrimination over the years. Nonetheless, the respondents have relatively positive views on mental health patients and the illness itself.