Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Why ‘small’ can be better: an exploration of the relationships between class size and pedagogical practices

A central issue in the class size debate is that while cutting class size might lead to improved teaching and learning, it is also possible that it may not if teachers do not seek to exploit the advantages of a smaller class size through an alternative pedagogy. Research suggests that teachers do not change their pedagogy when moving from large classes to smaller ones. This paper focuses on pedagogical practices in large and reduced-size secondary school classes where the teacher is the same in both contexts; a research design that has not been employed in previous class size studies. The paper explores the relationships between class size and the pedagogical practices adopted by four experienced teachers in Hong Kong who are each responsible for one large and one reduced-size English language class of the same grade level. Drawing on mostly qualitative data, this study’s findings show that teachers did vary their teaching from one class to another with important differences noted in teacher–student interaction patterns, classroom organisation, the establishment of classroom rules and the teacher’s use of humour. At the same time, interview data reveal that teachers could not always explain or theorise their pedagogical decisions. Implications for professional practice are presented.
WAVE DAMPING OBSERVED IN UPWARDLY PROPAGATING SAUSAGE-MODE OSCILLATIONS CONTAINED WITHIN A MAGNETIC PORE

We present observational evidence of compressible MHD wave modes propagating from the solar photosphere through to the base of the transition region in a solar magnetic pore. High cadence images were obtained simultaneously across four wavelength bands using the Dunn Solar Telescope. Employing Fourier and wavelet techniques, sausage-mode oscillations displaying significant power were detected in both intensity and area fluctuations. The intensity and area fluctuations exhibit a range of periods from 181 to 412 s, with an average period ∼290 s, consistent with the global p-mode spectrum. Intensity and area oscillations present in adjacent bandpasses were found to be out of phase with one another, displaying phase angles of 6. °12, 5. °82, and 15. °97 between the 4170 Å continuum–G-band, G-band–Na i D1, and Na i D1–Ca ii K heights, respectively, reiterating the presence of upwardly propagating sausage-mode waves. A phase relationship of ∼0° between same-bandpass emission and area perturbations of the pore best categorizes the waves as belonging to the “slow” regime of a dispersion diagram. Theoretical calculations reveal that the waves are surface modes, with initial photospheric energies in excess of 35,000 W m−2. The wave energetics indicate a substantial decrease in energy with atmospheric height, confirming that magnetic pores are able to transport waves that exhibit appreciable energy damping, which may release considerable energy into the local chromospheric plasma.
Atlas of Genetics and Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology NME 1 ( NME / NM 23 nucleoside diphosphate kinase 1 )

Note The NME1 gene was identified in 1988 as the first metastasis suppressor, due to its reduced expressio n in metastatic murine melanoma cell line (Steeg et al., 1988; reviewed in: Lee et al., 2009). The human gen e, also named NM23-H1, was shown to be homologous to the Drosophila AWD gene, involved in larvae development, and to exhibit an expression inversely correlated to the metastatic spread in primary brea st tumors (Rosengard et al., 1989). It is the first de scribed member of a family of ten genes in human (Desvignes et al., 2009; reviewed in: Boissan et al., 2009).
Antixenotic and Allelochemical Resistance Traits of Watermelon Against Bactrocera cucurbitae in a Hot Arid Region of India

Abstract Host plant resistance is an important component of integrated pest management of the melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae). We studied various antixenotic and allelochemical traits in the fruit for 15 varieties/genotypes of watermelon Citrellus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsumara & Nakai (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae) in relation to resistance against B. cucurbitae under field conditions in a hot arid region of India. Results showed significant differences in tested varieties/genotypes in levels of fruit infestation and larval density per fruit. The varieties/genotypes ‘Asahi Yamato’ (12.73%), ‘AHW/BR-16’ (15.10%), and ‘Thar Manak’ (18.27%) were found to be resistant; ‘Durgapura Lal’ (23.03%), ‘Sugar Baby’ (26.67%), ‘AHW/BR-12’ (29.73%), ‘Arka Manik’ (34.15%), ‘Charleston Gray’ (38.70%), ‘AHW-65’ (35.80%), and ‘AHW-19’ (48.97%) were found to be moderately resistant; and ‘IC 582909’ (53.18%), ‘AHW/BR-60’ (55.52%), ‘BSM-1’ (59.10%), ‘AHW/BR-137’ (60.58%), and ‘AHW/BR-9’ (67.37%) were found to be susceptible to fruit fly infestation. Significant positive correlation (r = 0.99; P < 0.01) was observed between percentage fruit infestation and larval density per fruit. Percentage fruit infestation and larval density per fruit were significantly and positively correlated with fruit length (r = 0.57 and 0.55, respectively) and with days to first fruit harvest (r = 0.75 and 0.76, respectively), but negatively correlated with length of ovary pubescence (r = -0.91 and -0.91, respectively), rind hardness (r = -0.86 and -0.87, respectively), and rind thickness (r = -0.77 and -0.75, respectively). Maximum variation in fruit infestation and larval density were explained by length of ovary pubescence (82.5 and 83.6%, respectively) followed by fruit length (4.3 and 3.0%, respectively) and rind thickness (3.2 and 2.0%, respectively). Free amino acid content was lowest in the resistant ‘Asahi Yamato’ and highest in the susceptible ‘BSM-1’, whereas the contents of phenols, tannins, total alkaloids, and flavonoids were highest in resistant and lowest in susceptible varieties/genotypes. Flavonoid and total alkaloid contents explained 88.4 and 92.0%, respectively, of the total variation in fruit fly infestation and in larval density per fruit.
Evolutionary Chance Mutation: A Defense of the Modern Synthesis' Consensus View

One central tenet of the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis (1930s-1950s), and the consensus view among biologists until now, is that all genetic mutations occur by "chance" or at "random" with respect to adaptation. However, the discovery of some molecular mechanisms enhancing mutation rate in response to environmental conditions has given rise to discussions among biologists, historians and philosophers of biology about the "chance" vs "directed" character of mutations (1980s-2000s). In fact, some argue that mutations due to a particular kind of mutator mechanisms challenge the Modern Synthesis because they are produced when and where needed by the organisms concerned. This paper provides a defense of the Modern Synthesis' consensus view about the chance nature of all genetic mutations by reacting to Jablonka and Lamb's analysis of genetic mutations (2005) and the explicit Lamarckian flavor of their arguments. I argue that biologists can continue to talk about chance mutations according to what I call and define as the notion of "evolutionary chance," which I claim is the Modern Synthesis' consensus view and a reformulation of Darwin's most influential idea of "chance" variation. Advances in molecular genetics are therefore significant but not revolutionary with respect to the Modern Synthesis' paradigm.
Amygdala and Taste Learning

The amygdala is a particular forebrain structure which is widely involved in many cognitive processes, such as attention and emotional learning, among others. The amygdala is part of the limbic system, which is critical for survival. In rats, it is located bilaterally in the medial temporal lobes, and its nuclei are similar to those of primates [1, 2]. In mammals, the amygdala is involved in the expression of many behaviours, such as fear responses, reproduction, aggressiveness and social behaviour and also in physiological processes such as modulation of the neuroendocrine and autonomic systems and homeostasis [3]. The amygdala consists of several nuclei that form a complex network of information processing. The three main nuclei of this structure are the medial, the central and the basolateral nucleus. These nuclei have complex connections with other structures; therefore it is thought that the activity of the amygdala is relevant in the modulation of some types of learning and memory [4]. In particular, the amygdala appears to participate in several complex processes underlying taste learning [5-11].
Concentration of I2, Na, K, Mg and Fe in Soils, Plants, Ash and Salt Samples of Selected Areas of Western Kenya

Table salt is one of the most used food additives with a unique place in food consumption. The chemical and physical composition of traditional salts is not well understood. Two types of reeds from Lugari and Busia regions of western Kenya were studied to establish the concentration of selected nutrients and determine some of the factors affecting the micronutrient content. Cyperus papyrus and Typha latifolia reeds of Lugari and Busia regions respectively, grow in weak acidic soils of pH range from 4.9-6.5. It was observed that an increase in the soil’s percentage clay content increases CEC while an increase in soil bulk density decreases the soil’s CEC. Soil iodine was found to depend largely on depth, SBD, percentage clay clay and moisture. An increase in depth led to a decrease in iodine level in soil with the top soils (0-15 cm,) recording higher iodine content than sub-soils (15-30 cm deep). As iodine increased with increase in SBD and % clay, Fe2+ concentration increased with increase in depth in the dry season. There was higher concentration of iodine in Cyperus papyrus reeds from Bidimbidi than in Ululo during both the wet and dry seasons. The K content of T. latifolia was higher than that of C. papyrus with K levels increasing with increase in iodine concentration in both plants. Busia reeds had more Na and K than Lugari reeds for both the wet (2871.8 mg/kg > 2519 mg/kg) and the dry (367 mg/kg > 223 mg/kg) seasons. In the present study, Iodine, K, Na, concentrations increased with ashing process while a decrease in Mg was noted. The concentrations of K and Na were higher in soils than in plants with a Tf ranking order of Na > K > Mg > I for both Busia and Lugari regions. The order of decreasing concentration of the micronutrients in the salt was of the form Na> K >Mg for Busia while for Lugari it was K >Na >Mg. On average, Busia Cyperus papyrus salt had higher Na, pH and moisture content but lower K, 11,930 mg/kg, 10.3, 10.1 % and 3,736.2 mg/kg compared to Lugari Typha latifolia salt whose Na, K, pH and moisture are 3,943.8 mg/kg, 4,635.8 mg/kg, 9.7 and 0.8 % respectively. Lugari salt samples had a Na:K ratio of 0.9 while Busia’s C. papyrus salt had a Na:K ratio of 3.2. Comparing the Na: K ratio of the types of reed salts, T. latifolia has 0.85:1 while C. papyrus has 3.2:1 compared to 4:1 recommended by WHO 2006. From the results, Cyperus papyrus salt may be a better and ideal food salt than Typha latifolia.
The Democratization of Investment Research: Implications for Retail Investor Profitability and Firm Liquidity

We find evidence that crowdsourced investment research facilitates informed trading by retail investors and improves firm liquidity. Specifically, retail order imbalances are strongly correlated with the sentiment of Seeking Alpha articles, and the ability of retail order imbalances to predict returns is roughly twice as large on research article days. In addition, firms with exogenous reductions in Seeking Alpha coverage experience increases in bid-ask spreads and price impact, with the effect being stronger for firms with high retail ownership. Our findings suggest that technological innovations have helped democratize access to investment research with important implications for firm liquidity. JEL: G14
POSSUM scoring system in patients undergoing laparotomy in Mulago Hospital

Background : Prediction of complications is an essential part of risk management in surgery. Knowing which patient to operate and those at high risk of developing complications contributes significantly to the quality of surgical care and cost reduction in surgery. The physiological and operative severity score for the enumeration of mortality and morbidity (POSSUM) was used to score and predict the outcomes of Laparotomy in Mulago Hospital. The main objective of this study was to determine the morbidity and mortality POSSUM scores for patients who underwent Laparotomy in Mulago Hospital, between September 2003 and February 2004. Methodology : Consecutive patients, who underwent a Laparotomy in the three surgical wards in Mulago Hospital, were scored using POSSUM system. For each patient the predicted risk of mortality and morbidity was calculated from POSSUM equation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationships between the predicted and observed morbidity and mortality rates. Postoperative complications and mortality within 30days were described. Results : Seventy-six patients were studied. The observed and expected mortality and morbidity rates were 14.5%, 2.6% and 35.4%, 0% respectively. Physiological scores, operative scores, co morbid condition such as Diabetes Mellitus significantly determined the outcomes. Conclusion : POSSUM scoring system can be used to predict the risk of mortality but not morbidity for patients admitted to a surgical ward in Mulago Hospital. Recommendations : The POSSUM scoring system can be used in decision-making process before a Laparotomy is carried out.
Allium cepa Mitigates Aluminum Chloride-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Male WistarRats

Allium cepa (Common Onion), one of the most widely grown crops in world, is believed to possess medicinal potency. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Allium cepa (ACE) administration on oxidative stress-mediated hepatotoxicity following aluminum chloride (AlCl3) administration. 24 adult male wistar rats weighing 175 g were randomly divided into vehicle-treated (control), ACE, aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and ACE+AlCl3 groups. Rats were given single oral administrations of 100mg/kg body weight of AlCl3 and 1 mL/0.1 kg body weight of ACE for four weeks. When compared with vehicle-treated, AlCl3 administration caused a significant decrease in serum total protein (TP) and an increase in serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and total bilirubin. On the other hand, ACE treatment significantly improved serum TP but depressed serum levels of ALT, AST and total bilirubin. There was no significant change in these biomarkers of liver function in ACE+AlCl3 group compared with the vehicle-treated group. Furthermore, while AlCl3 group was characterized by a significant rise in hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and a decrease in hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities, ACE group exhibited a significant low hepatic MDA and a high hepatic SOD and catalase activities. However, none of these antioxidant markers changed in ACE+AlCl3 group compared with vehicle-treated. Therefore, we conclude that ACE mitigates hepatotoxic effect of AlCl3 administration through regulation of hepatic oxidant/antioxidant system.
Working Papers in Trade and Development Root Causes of African Underdevelopment

What are the root causes of Africa’s current state of under-development? Is it the long history of slave trade, or the legacy of extractive colonial institutions, or the fallout of malaria? We investigate the relative contributions of these factors using an instrumental variable approach. The results show that malaria matters the most and all other factors are statistically insignificant. Malaria also negatively affects savings. Using a two period overlapping generation model we show that malaria impacts economic performance by increasing both mortality and morbidity. Increased mortality increases current household consumption and discourages savings. Increased morbidity adversely affects labour productivity. The combined impact is a slowdown of capital accumulation and economic growth.
Ultra-stripped supernovae: progenitors and fate

The explosion of ultra-stripped stars in close binaries can lead to ejecta masses < 0.1 M_sun and may explain some of the recent discoveries of weak and fast optical transients. In Tauris et al. (2013), it was demonstrated that helium star companions to neutron stars (NSs) may experience mass transfer and evolve into naked ~1.5 M_sun metal cores, barely above the Chandrasekhar mass limit. Here we present a systematic investigation of the progenitor evolution leading to ultra-stripped supernovae (SNe). In particular, we examine the binary parameter space leading to electron-capture (EC SNe) and iron core-collapse SNe (Fe CCSNe), respectively, and determine the amount of helium ejected with applications to their observational classification as Type Ib or Type Ic. We mainly evolve systems where the SN progenitors are helium star donors of initial mass M_He = 2.5 - 3.5 M_sun in tight binaries with orbital periods of P_orb = 0.06 - 2.0 days, and hosting an accreting NS, but we also discuss the evolution of wider systems and of both more massive and lighter - as well as single - helium stars. In some cases we are able to follow the evolution until the onset of silicon burning, just a few days prior to the SN explosion. We find that ultra-stripped SNe are possible for both EC SNe and Fe CCSNe, and that the amount of helium ejected is correlated with P_orb - the tightest systems even having donors being stripped down to envelopes of less than 0.01 M_sun. We estimate the rise time of ultra-stripped SNe to be in the range 12 hr - 8 days, and light curve decay times between 1 and 50 days. Ultra-stripped SNe may produce NSs in the mass range 1.10 - 1.80 M_sun and are highly relevant for LIGO/VIRGO since most (possibly all) merging double NS systems have evolved through this phase. Finally, we discuss the low-velocity kicks which might be imparted on these resulting NSs at birth. [Abridged]
The Validation of the Citizen Science Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES)

Citizen science programs provide opportunities for students to help professional scientists while fostering science achievement and motivation. Instruments which measure the effects of this type of programs on student motivational beliefs are limited. The purpose of this study was to describe the process of examining the reliability and validity of The Citizen Science Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES) designed to measure the effectiveness of citizen science programs on student self-efficacy for scientific observation skills. Fifteen (n =15) field experts and 248 (n = 248) eighth grade students participated in three studies. The results suggest that the psychometric properties of this scale are sufficient. Implications for the development and utility of self-efficacy scales in a variety of citizen science contexts are discussed. The aim of the present study is twofold: (a) to establish the psychometric properties of a scale developed to measure student self-efficacy beliefs for scientific observations in citizen science programs and (b) to describe the process in the validation of a self-efficacy scale to support researchers who want to create their own scales for similar citizen science programs. Three studies were conducted to develop the Citizen Science Scale (CSSES) and evaluate its psychometric properties. The purpose of the CSSES was to develop a measure suitable for analysis within a social cognitive career framework and informal natural science contexts. The findings in the present study found that the measure had an acceptable unitary factorial structure and high internal reliability of . 89 for the CSSES. The purpose of the Citizen Science Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES) is to assess individual’s beliefs about their capabilities for scientific observational skills. This scale is applicable to measuring individual’s self-efficacy in outdoor learning contexts (e.g., horseshoe crab citizen science context). Given that self-efficacy is a strong predictor of academic achievement and motivation, self-efficacy scales like the CSSES may provide a way for stakeholders involved in outdoor education to measure student gains and to substantiate program effectiveness. From a methods standpoint, the contribution of this work is to serve as a guide of how to develop a self-efficacy scale.
Imperfection-induced Wrinkling Material Failure in Sandwich Panels

In this paper, sandwich wrinkling or local face sheet instability is treated in the context of material failure. Traditionally, test results rarely complied well with the predicted failure load and a knock down factor often had to be used. The reason for this is often referred as the effect of initial geometric imperfections. In this paper, imperfections are included in the natural waveform given by the linear stability analysis, i.e., a short wavelength sinusoidal buckling shape. These initial imperfections lead to increased displacements during loading giving rise to both, an in-plane compressive strain and a varying bending strain. These strains can then be related to material failure criteria, one for the face sheet compressive strain and one for the core normal strain. An analytical model is derived and compared with experimental results and several issues are revealed. The panel strength measured using a realistic initial imperfection amplitude agrees very well with the derived model, giving a prediction somewhat below the values obtained from the traditional approach. This verifies that the actual wrinkling failure is below the theoretical instability load. The model is able to distinguish between different failure modes, face sheet compression failure or core-adhesive joint tensile failure, giving good correlation with the experimental findings. Thus, it appears that using initial imperfections as a basis for wrinkling analysis provides a better foundation for the failure analysis than the ordinary stability analysis, and it also allows to determine which failure mode is predominant. Finally, it is shown that the choice of the core material can be made based on the theory presented to obtain a more efficient sandwich panel.
MAST CELLS İN THE DOG SKİN: DİSTRİBUTİON, DENSİTY, HETEROGENEİTY AND İNFLUENCE OF FİXATİON TECHNİQUES

Summary: This study was conducted with the aim of examining the location, the morphology, and numerical distribution of mast cells in the different areas of the healthy adult dog skin. Skin samples taken from the cheek, pinna, thorax and thigh areas of 10 healthy dogs were used as the study material. The results show the existence of mast cell heterogeneity in dog skin with respect to staining with alcian blue / safranin O and formaldehyde fixation sensitivity. Mast cells characterized by four combination of these parameters were observed: Mast cells containing only alcian blue-positive granules which were formalin-sensitive, mast cells containing only alcian blue-positive granules which were formalin-resistant, mast cells containing only safranin O-positive granules which were formalin resistant and mast cells containing a mixture of alcian blue-positive and safranin O-positive granules which were formalin resistant. With toluidine blue staining method, it was founded that IFAA fixed tissues were contained more mast cells than those tissues fixed with the 10% formaldehyde in all four regions. The difference in average number of mast cells per mm² between the IFAA and the 10% formaldehyde fixed tissues was statistically significant (p 0.05), in the other three areas, statistically significant differences (p<0.001) were found. In the pinna, thorax and thigh areas, superficial dermis contained more mast cells than deeper dermis. In both fixations the highest number of mast cells was observed in the skin of the pinna (p<0.001).