Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlates of staff motivation, satisfaction, and job performance of library staff in selected Nigerian University libraries

Abstract This study examined staff motivation, satisfaction, and job performance among the librarians and library staff in six selected university libraries in Nigeria. The target population for the study includes the professionals and nonprofessional library staff. A total enumeration sampling technique was used to select 180 respondents, which represent the sample for the study. Data was collected using a self-designed questionnaire titled “Staff Motivation, Satisfaction and Job Performance Questionnaire” (SMSJPQ). Six research questions were developed and answered by the study. The results indicate that librarian and library staff are highly motivated with regular pay while the least motivational factor is frequent interaction with their friends. Library staff are primarily satisfied with their jobs when they are in constant link with their friends. Professional library staff significantly experience better work motivation than their nonprofessional counterparts. Significant correlation exists between staff motivation and job performance and between job satisfaction and job performance. In addition, the two factors (motivation and satisfaction) exert significant contribution to the determinant of librarians and library staff job performance. Based on the findings, the study recommended improvement in the level of motivation of nonprofessionals so that the significant difference with the professional counterpart would not be so much pronounced.
The Effects of Textured Insoles on Cortical Activity and Quiet Bipedal Standing With and Without Vision: An EEG Study

Abstract Wearing textured insoles (TIs) can reduce static postural sway, but the neurophysiological mechanisms by which these changes occur are not well understood. To address this issue, cortical activity was investigated in this study using electroencephalography (EEG) recordings from 19 scalp locations, in 15 healthy young adults (5 females; mean age = 27 ± 4.09 years) during quiet bipedal standing, under different insole conditions (textured versus smooth), with and without vision. Compared to smooth insoles (SIs), TIs significantly reduced postural sway in two measures; anterior–posterior range and standard deviation. In the EEG data, whole-head analyses showed cortical activity in the upper alpha power band was significantly reduced for textured compared to SIs. Exploratory analyses revealed this effect was significant both with and without vision, and was more pronounced over the parietal, compared to central regions, and over central compared to frontal regions. This trend was observed in low alpha and theta bands, but the effect of insole type was not significant. Textured insoles thus appear to affect not only balance outcomes but also cortical activity. The cortical activity adaptation may represent greater information becoming readily available at the cortical level, enhancing the representation of the body in space.
Backchannel Behavior in Interview Discourse: A contrastive study between Japanese and Indonesian

Many studies of backchannels have focused mainly on verbalized backchannels, such as `soudesuka`, `hontou`, `really`, `yeah` etc. But, in this research, we analyzed backchannel verbally and non-verbally in Japanese and Indonesian language in the interview setting. The interview interactions are quite different from everyday conversation. First, participants ‘roles are well defined; they have restricted obligation and creates an asymmetric interaction. The host act as a topic controller and listener in the conversation will make much more listening behavior. In this present study, How Japanese engaged highly backchannel in their conversation than other languages also observed. This research is using conversation analysis method of Otsuka `s framework, which examines 20 pairs of Japanese and Indonesian native speaker’s dyad. The participants were asked to be a host and a guest in an interview setting and give an answer in the prepared question. Analysis of the present study revealed a high frequency of backchannel behavior by the host occurs in both languages. The findings indicate that the differences in the use of listening behaviors produced in the frequency of backchannel. The host in both languages acts as most as a topic controller so somewhat gives backchannel verbally and non-nonverbally more than the guest. This study also confirms that The Japanese native speaker is an active listener so that backchannel is an essential communicative tool in Japanese, regardless of the context. Keywords—listening behaviors; Indonesian backchannel; Indonesian conversation analysis; Japanese Backchannel
Tears of joy among post-college-age Japanese adults: implications for resilience

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to follow up an earlier investigation which examined tears of joy (TOJ) among Japanese undergraduates. In the present investigation, 193 Japanese adults (age range = 31 to above 81; 46.7% were older than age 60) responded to a survey inquiring if they had ever experienced TOJ. If they answered affirmatively, they were asked their frequency of TOJ, when was their most recent TOJ episode, and to what extent it relieved their stress and improved their physical well-being immediately afterwards. The vast majority (83.4%) had experienced TOJ in their life. However, TOJ frequency was sharply divergent: although 38% reported TOJ in the past month, 26.1% had not experienced TOJ in over 12 months. Consistent with previous studies, TOJ frequency was significantly associated with high self-reported emotionality compared to peers. For men, TOJ frequency was associated with self-reported effectiveness in coping with stress. Among participants in middle adulthood (age = 41 to 60) but not later adulthood (age 61 and older), TOJ frequency was associated with both stress relief and enhanced physical well-being after a TOJ episode. The implications for strengthening resilience among post-college-age Japanese are discussed and avenues for further research are highlighted.
Organizational Commitment and Job Performance: Examining the Moderating Roles of Occupational Commitment and Transformational Leadership

To address why the relationship between affective organizational commitment and job performance varies, we draw on the theorization of Meyer, Becker, and Vandenberghe to propose moderation of affective occupational commitment and transformational leadership, separately and interactively. Data collected from 398 employees and their supervisors supported our hypotheses. Specifically, affective organizational commitment was more strongly associated with job performance for employees with high occupational commitment, or when a supervisor's transformational leadership was high. Importantly, in a moderated mediation relationship, we found the effect of transformational leadership on the relationship between affective organizational commitment and job performance for employees with high occupational commitment was contrary to its effect on employees with low occupational commitment. Given the significant roles of both commitments as discussed in the present study, we offer suggestions on how to consider these factors during the assessment and selection of personnel and role assignment.
Fabrication of nanogranular TiO2 thin films by SILAR technique: Application for NO2 gas sensor

Abstract The present investigation reports on the Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas sensing properties of the nanogrannular Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films synthesized on a glass substrate using simplistic successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique at room temperature. The deposition of TiO2 thin films was carried out by varying the SILAR reaction cycles. The synthesized TiO2 thin films showed a granular morphology of size 50–100 nm with an orthorhombic structure. The photoluminescence spectra of nanogranular TiO2 thin films exhibits absorption band edge in the visible region (∼442 nm). The gas sensing performance are evaluated as a function of nanogranular size of TiO2, the operating temperature, response and recovery time and sensitivity of NO2 gas from 50 to 200 ppm. A high response towards NO2 has been obtained at an operating temperature of 250 0C. Moreover, the nanogranular TiO2 thin films based gas sensor shows better gas sensitivity towards NO2 gas at 50 ppm with good selectivity.
Binding and loosing on earth: Evaluating the strategy for church disciplinary procedures proposed in Matthew 18:15-18 through the lenses of thinking and feeling

Matthew 18:15–18 proposed a disciplined strategy for dealing with disputes within the Matthean emerging Christian community. The present study was designed to test the theory, proposed by the SIFT approach to biblical hermeneutics, that reader interpretation of this strategy is influenced by the individual readers’ psychological type preferences. Participants attending two conferences in 2017 reflected on this strategy, working in groups that distinguished between feeling types and thinking types: 15 biblical scholars at the Summer School of the Urban Theology Unit, and 22 curates and training incumbents at a 3-day residential programme. Consistent with psychological type theory and with the SIFT approach to biblical hermeneutics, the feeling types found the whole tone of the passage uncomfortable and unsettling. The thinking types identified more readily with the Matthean strategy. These findings add weight to the reader perspective approach to the interpretation of scripture that takes the psychological type profile of the reader into account.
Stress Among Teachers: Exploring the Role of Cultural Diversity in Schools

Abstract We investigated the effects of stereotypical expectations regarding cultural diversity on teachers’ feelings of burnout, stress, and self-efficacy beliefs. With an experimental design, we confronted teachers with fictitious schools that were either high or low in cultural diversity and assessed the teachers’ feelings of burnout and self-efficacy beliefs (Study 1) and their stress with respect to culturally responsive teaching and locus of control (Study 2). Teachers who were confronted with a highly culturally diverse school showed higher feelings of burnout and stress and lower self-efficacy than teachers presented with a school low in cultural diversity. School composition affected teachers from primary and secondary schools differently. The consequences of holding stereotypical beliefs about highly culturally diverse schools are discussed.
Biosynthesis and Characterization of Bioplastic Polyhydroxybutyrate from Halophilic Bacterium Halomonas elongata BK-AB8

Bioplastics are biodegradable polymers which can be produced by bacteria. The production occurs when the bacteria grow in a medium containing a minimum amount of key nutrients, such as nitrogen, magnesium, and phosphorus but is rich of carbon source. It is known that some bacteria from the genus Halomonas can produce bioplastics compound such as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). This study focused to evaluate the potential of Halomonas elongata BK-AB8 in producing PHB. The bacteria were grown on a medium containing nile red. The grown bacterial colony exhibited orange luminescence when exposed under UV light indicating that the bacteria was able to produce bioplastics. The bioplastic production was conducted by growing the bacteria in the modified growth medium at 37 °C for 22 hours with aeration rate of 150 rpm. The resulting bioplastic was extracted using a mixture of chloroform−NaOCl (1:1), and subsequently precipitated in methanol. The highest efficiency of bioplastics production by Halomonas elongata BK-AB8 was around 24.7% using glucose as the main carbon resource. 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and FTIR characterizations of the resulting bioplastic showed high similarities to the corresponding profiles of PHB, which is likely in the form of poly-(R)-hydroxybutyrate. Thermogravimetry Analysis (TGA) showed that the resulting PHB sample started to degrade at 210 °C. Further characterization by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) showed a melting temperature of PHB at 164 °C with a degree of crystallinity around 14.2%, which strongly indicates that PHB was successfully produced from Halomonas elongata BK-AB8.
Unequal Conditions: A Systematic Review of the Relationship between Urban Poverty and Psychological Resilience

Poverty is one manifestation of inequality: it is often a consequence of an unequal distribution of social resources, especially in urban settings. The lack of resources can impact people's quality of life and provoke a spiral that reinforces the cycle of poverty. The concept of resilience can be a useful framework for understanding a person's positive adaptations to urban poverty's environmental stressors. This paper seeks to comprehensively understand how urban poverty influences the social functioning and well-being of individuals in urban areas. We conducted a systematic review to identify the risk factors that limit or increase vulnerability and the resilient responses that promote development and psychological functioning among those experiencing urban poverty. We explore how resilience can help overcome the vulnerabilities urban poverty creates and identify the coping strategies some families experiencing urban poverty use. We encourage researchers and practitioners to take a strengths-based approach to understanding individuals' resilient responses and community involvement as they socially adapt to unequal conditions in diverse and myriad ways.
NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF PROEJECTILE PENETRATION INTO CERAMIC/STEEL TARGETS

In this paper, Autodyn-2D hydrocode is used to simulate the penetration process of a small caliber projectile into a ceramic tile with finite thickness backed by a semi-infinite 4340 steel armor. Input data to the code are those used by Reaugh, et al. [1]. These data include six types of ceramic material, projectile material and 4340 semi-infinte steel armor, respectively. The ceramic material types are: Alumina with purity 85 and 96%, respectively, Boron Carbide, Aluminium Nitride, Silicon Carbide and Titanium Diboride. Each tile thickness of a ceramic material type is backed by a 4340 steel semi-infinite armor to form a bi-element target; each target is impacted by a tungesten alloy projectile having a certain velocity in the range from 1300 to 1750 m/s. The main procedures used to simulate the penetration process are introduced. The obtained numerial results of Autodyn-2D are compared with the corresponding experimental measurments of Ref. [1]; good agreement is generally obtained. In addition, samples of the time histories predicted by the hydrocode are presented, together with pertinent analyses and discussions. Finally, It is concluded that the Autodyn-2D hydrocode is a useful tool in designing and evaluating the ballistic efficiency of a bielement target when encountering a certain threat.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Laser and Mechanically Formed Commercially Pure Grade 2 Titanium Plates

The microstructure and mechanical properties of laser and mechanically formed commercially pure grade 2 titanium plates are discussed in this chapter. The microstructure of the as received parent material is compared to that resulting from laser and mechanical forming processes. Residual stress results from the two forming processes are analysed and bring to light changes brought about by these processes to the titanium used. The effect of the two forming processes on the mechanical properties is discussed, and the effect of process parameters on these properties is also argued in detail.
Digital resources and didactic methodology in the initial training of History teachers

This paper analyzes the links that exist between the perceptions of teachers-in-training regarding the use of digital resources in the Secondary Education classroom and their own methodological and epistemological conceptions. Shulman’s theories continue to largely guide current research on teacher knowledge. However, the impact caused by the new technologies has inspired new approaches like T-PACK, which put the focus on the teachers’ digital competence. In order to address this goal, information has been collected by means of a questionnaire implemented in 22 universities, 13 Spanish (344 participants) and 9 British (162 participants). The analysis of data was conducted along three phases: a) examination of the structure of assessments regarding the usefulness of digital resources by analyzing latent classes; b) estimation of confirmatory factor models for variable evaluation processes, History as a formative subject and historical competencies; c) estimation of interclass differences by using confirmatory factor models. The results showed four types of response regarding the use of digital resources in the classroom that were polarized about two items: comics and video games. Important interclass differences have likewise been found regarding methodological issues (traditional and innovative practices), as well as less important differences concerning epistemological conceptions and views on the development of historical competencies in the classroom. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los vínculos entre las percepciones del profesorado en formación sobre el uso de los recursos digitales en el aula de Secundaria, y sus concepciones metodológicas y epistemológicas. Las teorías de Shulman siguen orientando en gran medida las investigaciones sobre el conocimiento del profesorado. Sin embargo, el impacto de las nuevas tecnologías ha impulsado nuevos enfoques, como el T-PACK, que incide en la competencia digital docente. Para abordar este objetivo se ha recogido información de un cuestionario implementado en 22 universidades, 13 españolas (344 participantes) y 9 inglesas (162 participantes). Los análisis de datos se realizaron en tres fases: a) exploración de la estructura de las valoraciones sobre la utilidad de los recursos digitales mediante análisis de clases latentes; b) estimación de los modelos factoriales confirmatorios para las variables procesos de evaluación, Historia como materia formativa, y competencias históricas; c) estimación de las diferencias entre clases. Los resultados mostraron cuatro perfiles de respuesta en función de la opinión sobre el uso de los recursos en el aula, y polarizadas en torno a dos ítems: cómics y videojuegos. También se ha podido comprobar importantes diferencias entre clases en cuestiones metodológicas (prácticas tradicionales e innovadoras); y diferencias menos importantes sobre percepciones epistemológicas y de desarrollo de competencias históricas en el aula.
A Cross-Linguistic Examination of Heterogeneous Reading Profiles of Spanish-Speaking Bilingual Students

Research with English monolinguals has identified key subskills of reading comprehension that can differentiate subgroups of readers. There remains a dearth of research examining these subskills in Spanish-speaking bilingual students, and few studies have identified subgroups of readers whose home language is Spanish. This study used latent profile analysis to identify three distinct reader profiles of Spanish-speaking bilingual students based on Spanish and English word reading and vocabulary measures and examined profile differences in Spanish and English reading comprehension. The profiles were primarily distinguished by Spanish measures and were labeled “balanced Spanish and English,” “average English/low Spanish expressive Language,” and “English dominant. ” All three profiles scored significantly differently in Spanish reading comprehension. The balanced Spanish and English profile scored higher than the English-dominant profile in English reading comprehension. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Bayesian Computation and Optimal Decision Making in Primate Brains

This dissertation investigates the computational principles underlying the brains’ remarkable capacity to perceive, learn and act in environments of constantly varying uncertainty. Bayesian probability theory has suggested that optimal perception, learning and action rely on computing probability distributions over task-relevant world variables.This suggests the nervous system may maintain internal probabilistic generative models for what caused its sensory input. In this dissertation, we examine many aspects of primate perceptual and motor behaviors and model them under the framework of Bayesian inference and optimality principle.
Insect Species Damaging Industrial Wood in Western Black Sea Region of Turkey

Insect species collected in log depots in Western Black Sea Region of Turkey were identified. The study covered two years, 2015 and 2016, in 21 log depots in seven provinces (Duzce, Bolu, Zonguldak, Bartin, Karabuk, Kastamonu and Sinop). The study area was divided into three sub regions and each sub region was analyzed for insect species, their prevalence and intensities. Overall, four orders, 22 families, 74 genera and 57 species were described in log depots of the study area. Sub region 1 (Düzce-Bolu) showed the highest diversity in terms of insect species and sub region 2 (Zonguldak-Bartin) had the lowest diversity. Dorcus parallelipipedus Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) and Rhagium inquisitor Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) were found in all provinces studied. Based on wood species analysis, Scots pine wood had the highest diversity in insect species, followed by fi r, oak and beech. The study also described some important wood-destroying insect species from the families Anobiidae, Buprestidae and Cerambycidae. Buprestis dalmatina (Mannerheim, 1837) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Leptura aurulenta (Fabricius, 1792) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and Stictoleptura scutellata (Fabricius, 1781) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), all wood-destroying insect species, were identified for the first time in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey.
Science Teachers’ Instructional Practices in Malaysian and German Secondary Schools

Advancement of science and technology in many areas has made progress on human lives more developed than the ancient time. A strong science education would be able to equip our younger generation with the skills needed to ensure them for securing a better job in future. Thus, this study is to compare the science teachers’ instructional practices in Malaysian and German secondary schools. A total of sixteen science teachers were involved where eight of them were from the German secondary schools and another eight of them were from Malaysian secondary schools. This study was done by conducting classroom observations and semi-structure interviews. The data collected were then analyzed qualitatively based on Dancy and Hendersons’ framework of instructional practices. In conclusion, Malaysian and German science teachers have similar source of knowledge, definition of students’ success, learning modes, type of motivation and problem-solving skills where they show differences in the interactivity of the classroom, instructional decisions, assessment, content and instructional design. There are also ten good instructional practices found in this study which can be adapted in both nations to improve their science education.