Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cultural Model of Classroom Instruction for ELT in Bangladesh

It is now argued that a very close relationship exists between culture and learning, and that learners can learn better if the way of their learning corresponds to the cultural features of their society. Taking this argument into account, many linguists, teachers and researchers now suggest that language teaching-learning practices in the classroom should be based on learners’ culture. They argue that if there is a harmony between the mode of teaching-learning activities in the classroom and the cultural features in the broader community outside the classroom, learners can behave competently in the classroom and can, therefore, learn effectively. The present article has attempted to discuss this relationship between culture and learning in general, and also between culture and language learning in particular, with a view to determining a cultural model of classroom instruction for ELT in Bangladesh.
Integrated Nutrient Management for Sweet Maize (Zea mays (L.) saccharata Strut.) Production in Calabar, Nigeria.

The growth and yield response of sweet maize (Zea mays (L.) saccharata Strut. ) to varying rates of poultry manure (PM) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer during the early and late growing seasons of 2005 in Calabar, a humid forest agro ecology in south eastern Nigeria, was studied. Treatments comprised four rates of PM (0, 5, 10 and 15t/ha), factorially combined with four rates of N (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N/ha) and arranged into a randomized complete block design with three replications. The highest rate of both fertilizers significantly increased plant height, leaf area index, number of grains/cob and also hastened tasselling, whereas number of leaves/plant, number of cobs/plant and cob yield/ha obtained at the 10 or 15t/ha PM and 80 or 120 kg N/ha were statistically similar. Total dry mater (TDM), weight of grains/cob and total grain yield, peaked at 10t/ha PM and 80 kg N/ha fertilizer. At 10t/ha PM and 80 kg N/ha rates, TDM yield increased by 41 and 37% and grain yield by 42 and 39% respectively compared with the control treatments. The combination of PM at 10t/ha with N at 80 kg/ha maximized TDM, cob yield/ha and total grain yield.
Crystallized and Fluid Intelligence of Adolescents and Adults with Intellectual Disability and with Typical Development: Impaired, Stable or Compensatory Trajectories?

Three possible cognitive trajectories in the population with ID (Fisher & Zeaman, 1970; Lifshitz –Vahav, 2015) through the life span compared to the cognitive trajectory of the Typical developed (TD) population (Kauffman, 2001; Wechsler, 1981) were proposed. The "Impaired", "stable" and "Continuous" Trajectories. This study's goal was to examine Crystallized and fluid intelligence trajectories in individuals with non-specific ID (IQ=50-70) compared to individuals with typical development in four age cohorts: young adolescence (10-16), older adolescence (17-21), young adulthood (23-29) and adults (31-40). Method: Participants were individuals with mild to moderate NSID (N=102, IQ=50-70), who were compared to individuals with TD (N=102, IQ=85-115) in four age groups (10-16, 17-21, 23-29, 31-40). Crystalized Intelligence was examined by Vocabulary, Similarities (Wechsler battery, 2001, 2010), and Semantic fluency (Kavé, 2005). Fluid intelligence was examined by the Raven Matrices (1983), Phonemic fluency (Kavé, 2005), and Block design (Wechsler, 2001, 2010). Results: Vocabulary and Similarities revealed a parallel Continuous trajectory from 17 to 40. Semantic fluency revealed a parallel continuous trajectory from 10 to 17-21. Phonemic fluency and the Raven peaked at the 17-18 among the TD population and at the 19-21 in the ID population. Block design revealed in the TD group indicate a decline from older adolescents to adulthood (17-40) whereas ID group revealed Continuous trajectory from 21 to 40. Conclusions: Our findings support the Compensation Age Theory (Lifshitz-Vahav, 2015) regarding the contribution of chronological age to the cognitive ability of individuals with ID. Furthermore, adults with ID can benefit not only from mediated learning experience but also from direct exposure to the stimulus.
Resonant absorption troughs in the gamma-ray spectra of QSO

We report the very first evidence of the possible detection of γ -ray resonant absorption along the line of sight towards γ -ray bright quasars (QSOs), like 3C 279, 3C 273, PKS 0528+0134, and BL Lacertae. These detections resulted from the analysis of COMPTEL and EGRET data that were collected either during monitoring campaigns of the Virgo and galactic anticenter regions by the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) or during ToO observations of QSOs flares. We discuss three resonant absorption mechanisms that affect the γ -ray spectrum of point-like sources when crossing the surrounding warm and cold absorbers, as well as the potential of this γ -ray photon absorption method to constrain the abundance of the absorber. We detected two absorbers along the line of sight towards γ -ray bright QSOs, one at the QSO rest frame redshift and another at approximately zero redshift. We tentatively identify the latter with an absorber in the Galactic halo, while the former is undoubtedly caused by photon absorption in the host galaxy of the QSO. We discuss the advantages and drawbacks of this method in studies of absorbers in different astrophysical environments and compare this new method to absorber studies at X-ray or other wavelengths. We applied this γ -ray absorption method to identify a few of the EGRET unidentified (EUID) sources as QSOs, and determine their redshifts.
Investigating Male and Female Teachers' and Employees' Leisure Time Focusing on Physical Activities and Its Relationship with their Self-efficacy: The Case of Educational Organization in Qazvin

Leisure time provides an opportunity for refreshment, personal development, increasing the range of interests, selfefficacy, family cohesion and job motivation. Accurate planning for leisure time and regular physical activities are considered as behaviors which enhance the mental health and self-efficacy. The current study aimed to investigate both male and female teachers’ and employees’ leisure time and its relationship with self-efficacy in educational organization of Qazvin province. Materials and methodology: The current field study is a descriptive, correlational one. The statistical population consisted of all the teachers and employees of the educational organization in Qazvin province in the academic year 2012-2013. A total number of 375 people were included in the sample. Instrument: Sherer’s self-efficacy scale and leisure-time questionnaire were used. Its validity was confirmed by the expert judgment and its reliability was calculated through Cronbach alpha as 0.80. Data analysis procedures: Both descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson product-moment correlation, t-test, Chi-square) were run through SPSS 18.00. Findings: The results revealed a significant difference among teachers and employees in terms of the way they spend their leisure time. However, teachers had more physical activities than employees. A significant difference among teachers’ and employees’ physical activities was found in terms of gender in favor of males. The results were quite the same for self-efficacy. Conclusion: It seems necessary to raise the consciousness of different strata of the society considering the positive impacts of leisure time and doing physical activities in it through precise planning in order to persuade individuals to
Effect of esca on the quality of berries, musts and wines

Variations in the composition of berries, musts and wines in three groups of vines: 1. vines with foliar esca symptoms; 2. asymptomatic esca diseased vines; and 3. healthy vines, were studied in 2001 and 2002 in two “Trebbiano d’Abruzzo” vineyards in the Abruzzi region, Italy, to determine the effect of esca. Vines were grouped by foliar symptoms that had been recorded in annual inspections for 10 years: symptomatic vines by definition showed foliar symptoms in the sampling years (2001 and 2002); asymptomatic esca diseased vines showed no symptoms during the sampling years though they were known to be diseased because they had had foliar symptoms in at least one previous annual inspections; healthy vines were those with no symptoms at any time during the 10-year survey. The quality of berries, musts and wines obtained from vines with trunk renewal that had been restored, and of healthy unrenewed vines was compared in another vineyard of the same cultivar. Fairly similar results were obtained over the two sampling years, with a strong reduction in sugar levels of the must from symptomatic vines, leading to a lower ethanol content in the wine made from that must. These findings confirmed those of the preliminary investigation carried out in 2000. The yield pressed from symptomatic vines also had significantly higher levels of malic acid (causing higher total acidity), and of total nitrogen, potassium and total polyphenols. Berries from symptomatic vines had much higher levels of trans-resveratrol, possibly because of the spots on the leaves and berries. Small and non-significant differences between the yields of healthy vines and asymptomatic diseased vines were found, suggesting a slight loss in the quality of musts and wines from asymptomatic diseased vines. The yield of trunk-renewed vines was similar to that of healthy unrenewed vines, despite an increase of trans-resveratrol in the berries and of total nitrogen in the must of the trunk-renewed vines.
Aberration correction for confocal imaging in refractive‐index‐mismatched media

A major limitation to the use of confocal microscopes to image thick biological tissue lies in the dramatic reduction in both signal level and resolution when focusing deep into a refractive‐index‐mismatched specimen. This limitation may be overcome by measuring the wavefront aberration and pre‐shaping the input beam so as to cancel the effects of aberration. We consider the images of planar and point objects in brightfield, single‐photon fluorescence and two‐photon fluorescence imaging. In all cases, the specimens are imaged using an oil‐immersion objective through various thicknesses of water.
Phytochemistry and Reproductive Activities of Male Albino Rats Treated with Crude Leaf Extract of Great Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis)

This study was aimed at assessing the reproductive activities of male albino rats treated with crude leaf extract of Bougainvillea spectabilis. The total of thirty sexually matured male albino rats of about eleven weeks, weighing between 120-180 g were divided into five groups (A, B, C, D and E) with 6 rats in each group. Rats in group A served as the control and were fed with normal commercial feed only; groups B, C, D and E received 150, 300, 450 and 600 mg kgG Body Weight (BW) of the test substance, respectively. The results of the phytochemistry showed high content of phytates (49.27%) and other bioactive compounds in the leaf extracts. Results on the sperm parameters revealed significant reduction (p<0.05) in the sperm count, viability and motility. Sperm head abnormalities were also significant in the different groups with the highest recorded at 600 mg kgG BW (8.75%). Although, there were no significant difference in the epididymides weight of rats in the different groups, the testes weight was significantly reduced (p<0.05). From the present results, there is a dire need to always apply caution on the use of B. spectabilis in combating diseases considering the possible adverse effects that it could pose on spermatogenic pathways.
A note on spaces between normal and k-normal spaces

Several generalized notions of normality exist in the literature. In this paper, some variants of normality which lies between normal and κ-normal (or mildly normal) spaces are considered. Interrelation among these variants of normality is established and examples are provided in their support. Some new decompositions of normality is obtained in terms of seminormal spaces and β-normal spaces. A weaker version of seminormal spaces is introduced which provides a factorization of normality in terms of π- normality.
Spherule deposits in Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary sediments in Belize and Guatemala

Large spheroid deposits at Albion Island and Armenia in northern and central Belize and the spherule deposits of southern Belize and eastern Guatemala have the same glass origin based on the presence of almost pure Cheto smectite derived from alteration of impact glass from the Chicxulub impact on Yucatan, Mexico. The same origin has also been determined for altered glass spherules in Mexico, Haiti and the Caribbean. However, the spherule layers have variable ages as a result of erosion and redeposition, with an early Danian (Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina) zone Pla(1) age in southern Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, southern Mexico and the Caribbean, and a pre-K–T (Plummerita hantkeninoides) zone CF1 age of 65.27 ± 0.03 Ma in NE Mexico. A pre-K–T age for the Chicxulub impact has now also been determined from the new Yaxcopoil 1 core drilled in the impact crater. These data show that Chicxulub was not the K–T impact that caused the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, but an earlier impact event. A multiple impact hypothesis, volcanism and climate change appears the likely scenario for the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.
Effect of applying different ratios of compost made of municipal solid waste on the growth of Zea mays L. (Corn)

Since composts are soil like amendments made from plant and animal remains, they are more important than inorganic fertilizer because they consist of relatively stable decomposed materials resulting from accelerated biological degradation of organic matter. However, little attention has been paid on the use of compost as bio-fertilizers to improve soil structure, fertility and consequently growth and productivity of plants among farmers in Sri Lanka mainly due to lack of awareness on the beneficial effects. Therefore, the present study focuses on obtaining baseline data set on the efficacy in terms of plant growth characteristics by using different soil compost ratios of different types of composts. Four different types of composts and three different soil compost ratios (1:0.5, 1:1 and 1:1.5) were used in this study. Results of the present study clearly indicated that different composts act differently on the growth parameters tested and showed a reasonable variation with different soil compost ratios indicating both positive and negative effects on plant growth and yield. The results showed that the best soil compost ratio that could be used to significantly improve the growth parameters of Zea mays is 1:1 followed by 1:0.5. From among the different MSW composts used in this study, the best performance was shown by Dikovita followed by Mihisaru Segregated. This study further highlighted that higher ratio (1:1.5 soil compost) of certain MSW composts was not desirable and showed a negative effect on plant height. Key words: Aggregate stability, compost, nutrients, phytotoxicity, soil amendment, solid waste.
Voluntary deductible choice in Dutch health insurance

Since 2006, the number of insured who chooses to voluntarily increase the deductible in Dutch health insurance has been tripled. This thesis analyzes this choice for all Dutch insured in the years 2006-2013 and identifies characteristics of insured with a voluntary deductible. Additionally, we identify characteristics of switchers (i.e. insured who moved into an insurance plan with voluntary deductible and insured who moved out), and the number and characteristics of insured who possibly made uninformed decisions regarding the voluntary deductible. Our results show that young males, living in zip codes with a high education level and a high average household income are most likely to opt for a voluntary deductible. Moreover, insured with a voluntary deductible have lower healthcare expenditures, on average €1341, than insured without a voluntary deductible. Insured who moved into an insurance plan with a voluntary deductible generally have low health care expenditure in the past while insured who moved out a voluntary deductible plan had generally high healthcare expenditures in the past. This suggests that many insured make informed decisions with regard to the voluntary deductible. However, we also find that, in 7% of all cases, insured with two consecutive years of high healthcare expenditures incurred a financial loss due to choosing a voluntary deductible in the third year. This group consists of a relatively large share of chronically ill, elderly, and insured living in a zip code with a high average household income. This percentage declined over the years, indicating that an increased number of insured made well-informed decisions. The information provided by our study will be useful for policymakers as it provides an overview of which insured opt for a voluntary deductible. Furthermore, it could be used to target information campaigns to these insured who are financially worse off due to the voluntary deductible.
MICROSTRUCTURAL CHARACTERISATION, PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF RICE HUSK ASH AS VIABLE POZZOLAN IN BUILDING MATERIAL: A CASE STUDY OF SOME NIGERIAN GROWN RICE VARIETIES

Recycling of agricultural wastes such as rice husk ash as pozzolan is being increasingly encouraged, particularly in developing countries. In this paper, preliminary investigation on the physical and chemical composit ions of r ice husk ash using different techniques was carried out. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images of the r ice husk ash showed residual p ores to be distributed within the ash sample, indicating th at the silica is a highly porous material with a large internal surface area . Samples burnt at 400 0 C for 6 hours and 600 0 C for 4 hours for ‘Bukus’ and ‘Soro/ Olomo nla’ show aggregates with clearly defined layers of loose flakes compared to ‘Faro 58’. The Energy dispersive x ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis of rice husk ash performed to determine percentages of silica present in the samples were graphically represented. Nine elements (Al, Si, K, Ca, Br, Fe, Mg, Na, Mn) and their corresponding oxides (Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , K 2 O, CaO, Br, Fe 2 O 3 , MgO, Na 2 O, MnO) were detected with varying concentrations. The three varieties , on the average possess good silica content of over 50% considering the two varied temperature and time. Therefore , the chemical analysis results show that burning at combustion temperature of 600 0 C for 4hrs, gives optimal result than at 400 0 C for 6hrs because all the samples show high Silica content (Faro 58; 61.9, Bukus; 62.6 and Soro/Olomo nla; 59.5). Keywords : Rice husk ash, Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive x - ray spectroscopy
Efficacy of StaMPS technique for monitoring surface deformation in L'Aquila, Italy

This research work investigates the efficacy of the Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (StaMPS) in measuring the surface deformation over the L'Aquila region, Italy just before an event of earthquake of magnitude M w 6.3 by using seven descending Envisat C-Band ASAR images. The results show that the StaMPS technique successfully extracted sufficient number of Persistent Scatterers (PS) to derive a one dimensional (1D) time series displacement map which shows the deformation rates up to 59 mm/year in the satellite Line of Sight (LOS) direction and 50.8 mm/year in the direction opposite to the satellite LOS. Further, several deformation gradients are also observed from this map which indicate the occurrence of multiple crustal movement mechanism. Another dataset of 14 ASAR images is processed covering a time period before and after the earthquake in the study area to validate the results obtained by the previous dataset. We observed that the generated displacement map follows the deformation characteristics of the earlier displacement map in terms of magnitude and surface movement. We conclude that the generated displacement maps validate the presence of a normal fault mechanism with a tectonic process stretching in a NW-SE direction as predicted by earlier research studies.
Efficacy of Dialectical behaviour Techniques (DBT) in Reduction of Anxiety of Students in Tehran- Iran

Background and objective: Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques can be used as useful and effective method in reduction of many clinical symptoms. In this study, Efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy in reduction of anxiety of students in Tehran City is investigated. Methods and materials: this study is in kind of empirical study with pretest and posttest design with control group. Statistical population in this study consists of all high school female students of Tehran (n=674) educating during academic year of 2015-2016. First, cluster sampling is used and 4 schools are selected from schools of Tehran and from each couple of schools, 2 classrooms were selected and the students with high score in Beck's Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were selected as sample. Then, 30 students were selected using random sampling method and were placed in two groups with 15 people in each group. Both groups fulfilled the BAI in basic step. Experimental group received 12 sessions’ intervention with dialectical behavior therapy techniques and control group remained in waiting list. Both groups fulfilled BAI again after the treatment. Obtained data are analyzed using MANCOVA. Results: obtained results from the study showed that Dialectical Behavior Therapy can affect reduction of anxiety of female students and mean values of both groups are significantly different from each other (p<0.01). Conclusion: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques can lead to reduction of anxiety of female students. Keywords: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) techniques, Anxiety, Female students.
The Differential Impact of Reading and Listening on L2 Incidental Acquisition of Different Dimensions of Word Knowledge.

This study compares the impact of second language (L2) reading and listening on the incidental acquisition and retention of five dimensions of vocabulary knowledge – spoken form, written form, part of speech, syntagmatic association, and form-meaning connection – at the level of recognition (form-meaning connection was measured also at the level of recall). The study also examines the relationship between frequency of word occurrence and vocabulary acquisition through reading versus listening. The participants were 139 pre-intermediate level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners with Farsi as their first language (L1), who were assigned to two experimental groups (i.e., reading and listening) and one control group. The experimental groups were exposed to the same text containing 16 target words (replaced by 16 non-words). The results on the immediate posttest revealed that readers scored higher than listeners on all five dimensions of word knowledge. Retention scores on a three-week delayed posttest (which due to the presence of testing effects could be measured for only one dimension of vocabulary knowledge, that is, form-meaning connection) were also higher for readers; however, listeners appeared to forget less within three weeks. Moreover, increase in the frequency of word occurrence in the text significantly benefitted incidental vocabulary acquisition through reading, but not through listening.