Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sources of Inspiration: The role of significant persons in young people's choice of science in higher education

The objectives of this article were to investigate to which extent and in what ways persons influence students' choice of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in tertiary education, and to assess the suitability of an analytical framework for describing this influence. In total, 5,007 Norwegian STEM students completed a questionnaire including multiple-choice as well as open-ended questions about sources of inspiration for their educational choice. Using the conceptualisation of significant persons suggested by Woelfel and Haller, the respondents' descriptions of parents and teachers are presented in order to elaborate on the different ways these significant persons influence a STEM-related educational choice. Parents engaged in STEM themselves are models, making the choice of STEM familiar, and they help youngsters define themselves through conversation and support, thus being definers. Teachers are models by displaying how STEM might bring fulfilment in someone's life and by giving pupils a positive experience with the subjects. They help young people discover their STEM abilities, thus being definers. Celebrities are reported to have minor influence on STEM-related educational choices. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses indicate that interpersonal relationships are key factors in order to inspire and motivate a choice of STEM education. Implications for recruitment issues and for research on interpersonal influence are discussed. It is suggested that initiatives to increase recruitment to STEM might be aimed at parents and other persons in interpersonal relationships with youth as a target group.
EXAMINING PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ BELIEF AND PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE TOWARDS TEACHING PRACTICE IN MATHEMATICS CLASS: A CASE STUDY

Beliefs and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) are two factors influencing teaching practice in the classroom. This research aims to describe the beliefs and PCK of the prospective mathematics teachers and the relationship between the two factors on the teaching practices in the mathematics classroom. Participant in this research includes a prospective teacher who has taken a micro teaching subject and has good communication skill. Data were collected through interview and video analysis on the teaching practice in the classroom. The data obtained were coded, simplified, presented, and triangulated for the credibility and concluded. The result of the research shows that the prospective teachers who hold a constructivist belief view mathematics as a dynamic knowledge which evolves and is regarded as the space of creation for humans. Their beliefs on the nature of mathematics support the belief in the teaching-learning process in mathematics classrooms. Furthermore, a good understanding of the prospective teachers have on the components of the PCK has been sufficient, which can be identified in every step of practical activities in the classroom. More elaboration on the relationship between the belief and PCK is presented in this research.
Pharmacological potential of wood inhabiting fungi of genus Phellinus Quél.: An overview

Mushrooms have been in use as human diet and folk medicine against several dieases since antiquity. These properties are credited to the diverse bioactive compounds present in these mushrooms. Phellinus Quél. (Hymenochaetaceae) is amongst the medicinally important mushrooms and is cosmopolitan in distribution. Species under this genus are wood inhabiting causing white rot in various angiosperms and gymnosperms. However, hymenophores and/or mycelial biomass of many Phellinus species are of therapeutic significance. These are used as folk medicine for the management of different disorders since ages and need scientific evaluation. The information regarding the bioactivities and mycochemical components has been collected from Medline, PubMed, Scince Direct and Scopus. The present review accentuates the pharmacological potential of Phellinus bthat is attributed to an array of bioactive constituents reported from different species this genus. The information provided in this review may prove beneficial to evaluate Phellinus species scientifically and extend their folk medicinal use to drug preparation for clinical use in future.
The influence of the 2008 financial crisis on the predictiveness of risky asset pricing models in Brazil*

This article examines three models for pricing risky assets, the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) from Sharpe and Lintner, the three factor model from Fama and French, and the four factor model from Carhart, in the Brazilian market for the period from 2002 to 2013. The data is composed of shares traded on the São Paulo Stock, Commodities, and Futures Exchange (BM&FBOVESPA) on a monthly basis, excluding financial sector shares, those with negative net equity, and those without consecutive monthly quotations. The proxy for market return is the Brazil Index (IBrX) and for riskless assets savings accounts are used. The 2008 crisis, an event of immense proportions and market losses, may have caused alterations in the relationship structure of risky assets, causing changes in pricing model results. Division of the total period into pre-crisis and post-crisis sub-periods is the strategy used in order to achieve the main objective: to analyze the effects of the crisis on asset pricing model results and their predictive power. It is verified that the factors considered are relevant in the Brazilian market in both periods, but between the periods, changes occur in the statistical relevance of sensitivities to the market premium and to the value factor. Moreover, the predictive ability of the pricing models is greater in the post-crisis period, especially for the multifactor models, with the four factor model able to improve predictions of portfolio returns in this period by up to 80%, when compared to the CAPM.
Effectiveness of Crowberry on Plasma Total Antioxidant Status, Lipid Profile and Homocysteine

The objective of this study was to assess whether the consumption of crowberry could affect serum lipid profile, homocysteine (Hcy) level, and antioxidant status of healthy subjects. Out of 55 healthy volunteered subjects, 51 completed this investigation to final analysis. Each subject consumed 2 grams of powdered crowberries everyday for four weeks. Crowberry consumption led to significant increase in total antioxidant status (TAS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), while it resulted in significant decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. The differences in the levels of antioxidant markers and lipid profiles taken before and after crowberry intake were most significant. The levels of Hcy, catalase, T-cho, triglyceride, and LDL in the higher T-cho group decreased significantly after crowberry intake. Furthermore, this study revealed a significant positive correlation between Hcy level and body weight index (BMI). Crowberry intake improved lipid profile as demonstrated by having decreased T-cho, TG and LDL; increased antioxidative reactions (such as TAS or SOD enzymatic activities) and decreased Hcy levels in healthy subjects.
Mechanical Property Evaluation of Carbon Nanotube Sheets

The uses of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in nanotechnology and leading industries are of extreme importance and they have many applications. One such application is producing nanotube thin pages called buckypaper. These pages, known as nanotube sheets, have signi cant physical, chemical, mechanical, thermodynamic and electromagnetic properties, such as being several times stronger than steel. In spite of e orts devoted to the development of procedures for the production of buckypaper, not many attempts have been made to understand their mechanical behavior. Computer simulations can be used as a powerful tool to discover the mechanical properties of these materials. The aim of the present research is to investigate the mechanical behavior of buckypaper using the nite element method. Toward this goal, the molecular network of buckypaper, which consists of a regular arrangement of CNTs, is modeled as a structure with its atoms as nodes, its bonds as 3-D-beam elements and Van der Waals forces by means of nonlinear forces. A computer program is then developed to calculate the mechanical properties of buckypaper especially the modulus of elasticity. In this program, the nanotubes are arranged together to create a simple ordered network with periodic boundary conditions resembling real buckypaper. The obtained results from this procedure are compared with those derived from molecular mechanics.
FAKTOR RISIKO HIPERTENSI DITINJAU DARI KEBIASAAN MINUM KOPI (Studi Kasus di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Ungaran pada Bulan Januari-Februari 2012)

Latar Belakang: Kopi merupakan salah satu minuman favorit di dunia. Konsumsi kopi mempengaruhi hipertensi telah lama menjadi perdebatan. Beberapa penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pada frekuensi tertentu kebiasaan minum kopi justru merupakan faktor protektif hipertensi. Kopi dapat mempengaruhi tekanan darah karena adanya kandungan polifenol, kalium, dan kafein. Polifenol dan kalium bersifat menurunkan tekanan darah, sedangkan kafein bersifat meningkatkan tekanan darah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor risiko hipertensi ditinjau dari kebiasaan minum kopi. Metode: Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian observasional dengan menggunakan desain kasus kontrol. Subjek penelitian sebanyak 94 orang, terdiri dari 47 kasus dan 47 kontrol. Subjek penelitian adalah pria warga wilayah kerja Puskesmas Ungaran yang berusia 45-65 tahun, diambil secara consecutive sampling . Kebiasaan minum kopi dilihat dari jenis kopi, frekuensi, kekentalan, dan lamanya minum kopi yang ditanyakan langsung dengan kuesioner. Analisis statistik yang dilakukan adalah uji Chi Square dan dilakukan perhitungan OR ( Odd Ratio ) untuk besarnya risiko. Hasil: OR subjek yang minum kopi ≥5 cangkir per hari kopi ( p =1,000 OR =1,27, IK 95%:0,08-21,10) lebih rendah dibanding subjek yang minum kopi 1-2 cangkir per hari ( p =0,017 OR =4,12, IK 95%:1,22-13,39), walaupun secara statistik tidak bermakna. OR subjek minum kopi 3-4 cangkir per hari ( p =1,000; OR=0,95; IK 95%:0,20-4,57) lebih rendah dibanding subjek yang tidak minum kopi, walaupun secara statistik tidak bermakna. Subjek yang mengkonsumsi kopi 1-2 cangkir per hari, meningkatkan risiko hipertensi 4,11 kali lebih tinggi ( p =0,017; OR=4,11; IK95%:1,22-13,93) dibandingkan subjek yang tidak minum kopi. Simpulan: Kebiasaan minum kopi meningkatkan risiko kejadian hipertensi, namun tergantung dari frekuensi konsumsi harian.
How to make sense of the past – salient issues of Metahistory

This aerticle provides an overview of current issues in metahistoty. Basic categories of historical thinking, such as memory and historical culture, or historical consciousness, are outlined and contextualised in the field of historical studies. The leading question adresses the process of historical sense generation and its fundamental principles and criteria. In respnse to the traumatic historical experiences of crimes against humanitiy in the 20th century two culturally established procedures of sense generation are applied to historical thinking: mourning and forgiving. The author tries to widen the horizon of historical thinking into the dimension of intercultural communication. In the process he responds to the challenge of globilization. There is an accent on the need to pursue new approaches in history.
Prognostic Factors for Long Term Visual Acuity Outcome after Ranibizumab Therapy in Patients with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Purpose: To evaluate whether spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) and fluorescein angiography (FA) findings are predictive of visual acuity (VA) outcome after ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD). Methods: Best corrected VA of 72 previously untreated eyes with NVAMD were retrospectively collected at baseline, after 3 injections and at 12, 24 and 36 months follow-up, if available. FA and SDOCT images at baseline were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using reading center software. The area of CNV lesion components on FA as well as the volume of the neurosensory retina, the outer nuclear layer, subretinal fluid, subretinal hyperreflective material and pigment epithelial detachment (PED) on SDOCT were calculated. VA as well as change in VA from baseline were correlated with all parameters. Results: VA at baseline significantly correlated with final VA as well as change in VA during follow-up. A greater area of total CNV lesion, classic as well as occult CNV lesion components on FA correlated with lower VA during follow-up. Qualitative features that indicated better short-term outcomes included the presence of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) and the absence of cystoid spaces on SDOCT. Eyes with a larger retinal volume demonstrated a greater short-term increase in VA, eyes with larger PED volume and area measurements on OCT demonstrated less VA increase after 12 months. Lower VA outcomes were seen in eyes with larger volume of subretinal hyperreflective material or larger area of PED, as well as lower volume of the outer nuclear layer. No prognostic value could be identified for CNV lesion types other than RAP, subretinal fluid, gender and age. Conclusions: Several FA and SDOCT parameters showed prognostic value for VA outcome after ranibizumab in NVAMD. A larger, prospective dataset will be crucial for defining the relative importance of these parameters.
A Near-Rational Model of the Business Cycle

This paper presents a model in which insignificantly suboptimal behavior causes aggregate demand shocks to have significant real effects. The individual loss to agents with inertial price-wage behavior is second-order in terms of the parameter describing the shock, while the effect on real economic variables is first-order. Thus, significant changes in business activity can be generated by anticipated money supply changes provided that some agents are willing to engage in nonmaximizing behavior which results in small losses.
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF TURKISH TYPE A MUTUAL FUNDS AND PENSION STOCK FUNDS BY USING TOPSIS METHOD

─Abstract ─ In this paper, it is evaluated performance of Turkish Type A mutual funds and pension stock funds by using TOPSIS method which is a multicriteria decision making approach. Both of these funds compose of stocks in their portfolios, so it can be enabled to compare each other. Generally, mutual or pension funds are evaluated according to their risk and return. At this point, it is used traditional performance measurement techniques of funds like Sharpe ratio, Sortino ratio, Treynor index and Jensen’s alpha. TOPSIS method takes into consideration all of these fund performance measurement techniques and provides more reasonable performance measurement.
Global and Mexican analytical review of the state of the art on ecosystem and environmental services: A geographical approach

Within a strong international movement for conservation of natural resources, the term of Ecosystem Services (ES) which refers to all benefits that nature offers to society, was introduced at Rio Conference, 1992. After this, the first compensation scheme for ES, as one of the tools of the new environmental policy directed towards the principles of sustainable development, was proposed in Kyoto Protocol, 1997. Its objective is to prevent the reduction of natural resources' availability, and to improve human well-being by means of monetary compensation for conservation activities. Since then, the theme of ES found a global response, which was reflected in the implementation of payment programs and development of studies in many countries worldwide, where it's possible to note the diffe- rent perspectives of analysis and aspects included, as well as methodology used. In this regard, this paper presents the state of art on ES and Environmental Services research (specific term adopted in public policy) in global and Mexican perspectives. It is based on the review of 1 781 scientific papers published in international peer-viewed journals between 1992 and 2012 (twenty years since Rio Conference). Furthermore, the work provides a sound geographical overview of the main ES topics studied and the relative contribution of papers per region, country and Mexican states. The presentation of results is helped by the construc- tion of multi-scale maps and tables to show the evolution of studies in time and space, where a gradual continuous growth in numbers of publications with different focus and theories is detected, and use of distinct techniques from various disciplines, according to the specific objectives of each research. On the other hand, the social and economic standpoints dominate the global scene, with recent interest in integral analysis and ES compensation schemes. Geographically, ES research appears concentrated in North America, Europe, China and Australia, with social and economic focus of analysis predominat; followed by physical and interdisciplinary approaches. In the relation to the ecosystem function, the biodiversity studies prevail, followed by hydrological and carbon. Developing countries have published moderate or low amounts of papers, but are often the areas of interest for outside research. It is important to highlight that half of the papers are focused on one or more study cases, which allows for better understanding and analysis of local issues. Moreover, applied research combines experiments, sampling, surveys and interviews. It all contributes to providing better quality and more quantity of information for a successful study. In Mexico the situation is similar to the global trends, which is reflected in the growth trend of studies (since
Ownership Structure and Governance Implementation: Evidence from Indonesia

This paper investigates whether corporate governanceimplementationisassociatedwithownership structure.Using publicly traded firms in Indonesia, I regress different ownership variables on a corporate governance index (CGI) as my proxy for corporate governance implementation.I use family ownership, business group membership, institutional ownership, government ownership, and foreign ownershipfor ownership structure variables in the regression.I also run sensitivity tests to examine if the results are sensitive to how I measure the CGI. After controlling for variables that affect corporate governance, I find significant positive association between CGI score and government ownership and negative associations between the score and family ownership and institutional ownership. However, I do not find significant association between CGI score and foreign ownership or firms that are members of business groups. My findings suggest thatfirms with higher family ownershipor institutional ownershiptend to implement lower governance. This may indicate that majority family and institutional owners may have objectives that are negatively affected by good corporate governance practices and therefore, they choose not to implement them. Positive association betweengovernment ownership and corporate governance implementation suggests that the government is consistent with its efforts in promoting corporate governance among public firms in order to protect public interests.
RUNNING HEAD: Associations in evaluative priming Does sunshine prime loyal... or summer? Effects of associative relatedness on the evaluative priming effect in the valent/neutral categorization task

After 30 years of research, the mechanisms underlying the evaluative priming effect are still a topic of debate. In this study, we tested whether the evaluative priming effect can result from (uncontrolled) associative relatedness rather than evaluative congruency. Stimuli that share the same evaluative connotation are more likely to show some degree of non-evaluative associative relatedness than stimuli that have a different evaluative connotation. Therefore, unless associative relatedness is explicitly controlled for, evaluative priming effects reported in earlier research may be driven by associative relatedness instead of evaluative relatedness. To address this possibility, we performed an evaluative priming study in which evaluative congruency and associative relatedness were manipulated independently from each other. The valent/neutral categorization task was used to ensure evaluative stimulus processing in the absence of response priming effects. Results showed an effect of associative relatedness but no (overall) effect of evaluative congruency. Our findings highlight the importance of controlling for associative relatedness when testing for evaluative priming effects.
Desarrollo folicular y tasa ovulatoria en cabras criollas después de un periodo corto de consumo de trigo protegido de la degradación ruminal Follicular development and ovulation rate in Creole goats after short- term consumption of wheat protected from ruminal degradation

To determine ovarian effects after consumption of wheat protected from ruminal degradation, 40 Creole female goats received for 11 d before a synchronized estrous, 33.2 g/kg.75 of durum wheat treated with 5 % formaldehyde and mixed with 15 % saponified tallow (TW, n=20) or milled durum wheat and separately 15 % saponified tallow (NTW, n=20). Ovarian follicular populations were characterized on d 0, 2, 4 & 6 post-estrus through ultrasound and ovulatory rate estimated on d 9 through CL count after abdominal laparoscopy. Serial blood samples were collected in four animals per experimental group from 0 to 12 h after wheat intake and serum glucose & insulin concentrations were determined. Data were analyzed through Fisher Exact Test or ANOVA for a completely randomized design. Serum glucose and total ovulations did not differ (P>0.20) between experimental groups. Serum insulin was higher (P<0.05) in TW vs NTW during the 0 to 8 h period after wheat intake (6.61 vs 4.82 µUI/ml). TW group showed more follicles < 4 mm on d 0 post-estrus (7.60 vs 7.00 follicles in TW vs NTW; P<0.01), and both, number of total follicles on d 0 and the diameter of the 2nd follicle according to size on d 6 post-estrus tended to be greater in TW (9.70 vs 9.21 follicles and 2.89 vs 2.75 mm in TW vs NTW; P<0.10). Short-term TW intake could influence follicular development in Creole goats without altering ovulation rate or glucose entry to systemic circulation but might increase temporary secretion of insulin.
THE ABDUS SALAM INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR THEORETICAL PHYSI CS ON DIFFERENCE EQUATIONS FOR ORTHOGONAL POLYNOMIALS ON NONUNIFORM LATTICES

By the study of various properties of some divided-differen c equations, we simplify the definition of classical orthogonal polynomials given by Atakishi yev, Rahman and Suslov (1995), then prove that orthogonal polynomials obtained by some modifications f the classical orthogonal polynomials on nonuniform lattices satisfy a single fourth-order linear h omogeneous divided-difference equation with polynomial coefficients. Moreover, we factorize and solve e xplicitly these divided-difference equations. Also, we prove that the product of two functions, each of whic h satisfying a second-order linear homogeneous divided-difference equation is a solution of a fourth -order linear homogeneous divided-difference equation. This result holds in particular when the divideddifference operator is carefully replaced by the Askey-Wilson operator Dq, following pioneer work by Alphonse Magnus (1988) connecti ngDq and divided-difference operators. Finally, we propose a metho d to look for polynomial solutions of linear divided-difference equations with polynomial coefficient s. MIRAMARE – TRIESTE December 2006 Junior Associate of ICTP. foumama@yahoo.fr