Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non-curricular postgraduate writing interventions at South African universities

Formalised postgraduate writing support centres are a relatively new phenomenon at the majority of South African universities and have not yet been researched intensively. This article, which forms part of a mandated study, presents the findings of research into the nature of postgraduate writing support at a number of South African universities. In 2014, an external review into the throughput rate of undergraduate and postgraduate students at a particular South African residential university was conducted, which concluded that there was a need for more support for postgraduate students who were conducting research. (University X, 2014). Accordingly, a questionnaire was distributed to writing centres at various institutions across the country. This article describes practices relating to staffing, the availability of resources, as well as the positioning of postgraduate writing support within or separate to undergraduate writing centres. Additionally, findings are presented in terms of the different modes of delivery and the related research outputs. While this article provides an overview of current best practice at a number of university-based postgraduate writing centres, suggestions are also made concerning an ideal model for the foundation of such a writing centre at a large residential university. Keywords: academic writing, postgraduate writing, postgraduate writing support, writing centres, academic literacy.
Involvement of central opiate receptors in modulation of centrally administered oxytocin-induced antinociception

Objective(s): Oxytocin is involved in modulation of many brain-mediated functions. In the present study, we investigated the central effects of oxytocin and its receptor antagonist, atosiban on inflammatory pain. The contribution of opiate receptors was explored using non-selective and selective antagonists. Materials and Methods: The fourth ventricle of the brain of anesthetized rats was implanted with a guide cannula. Inflammatory pain in the orofacial region was induced by subcutaneous (SC) injection of formalin into the vibrissa pad, and time duration of face rubbing behavior was measured for 45 min. Results: A typical biphasic pain was observed after formalin injection. This biphasic pain behavior was attenuated by intra-fourth ventricle administration of oxytocin (12.5, 50, and 200 ng/rat). Central prior administration of 400 ng/rat atosiban (an oxytocin receptor antagonist), naloxone (a non-selective opiate receptor antagonist), naloxonazine (a selective µ-opiate receptor antagonist), and nor-binaltorphimine (a selective κ-opiate receptor antagonist), but not naltrindole (a δ-opiate receptor antagonist), prevented oxytocin-induced (200 ng/rat) antinociception. Except for naltrindole, other antagonists increased pain intensity when used alone. Above-mentioned drugs did not alter locomotor activity. Conclusion: Oxytocin, as a neuropeptide neurotransmitter, may be involved in the supraspinal modulation of inflammatory pain through µ- and κ-, but not δ-opiate receptors.
Electromagnetic electron whistler-cyclotron instability in bi-Kappa distributed plasmas

Context. Recent studies of the electromagnetic electron whistler-cyclotron instability in anisotropic bi-Kappa distributed plasmas claim that the instability threshold conditions do not depend on the power index, κe, of the electron distribution function, but that the maximum growth rate (γm) strongly depends on this parameter. But these two statements contradict each other because the instability threshold conditions are derived with respect to the threshold levels of the maximum growth rates (e.g.,γm/Ω = 10−1, 10−2, etc.). Aims. This paper proposes to clarify this inconsistency, refining the analysis of the electron-whistler cyclotron instability. In anisotropic plasmas far from Maxwellian equilibrium, this instability represents one of the most plausible constraints for the electron temperature anisotropy Te,⊥ > Te,‖, (where ‖ and ⊥ denote directions relative to the local stationary magnetic field). Methods. In the context of a suprathermal solar wind, where the electron populations are well fitted by the advanced Kappa distribution functions, these models are expected to provide a more realistic description for the critical stability conditions. The unstable solutions are derived exactly numerically, providing accurate physical correlations between the maximum growth rates and the threshold conditions. Results. Thresholds of the temperature anisotropy are derived for the full range of values of the plasma beta including both the solar wind and magnetospheric plasma conditions. The lowest thresholds, which are the most relevant for the marginal stability, are found to decrease with the increase in density of the suprathermal populations. This result is correlated with an opposite effect on the corresponding growth rates (at low anisotropies), because their maximum values are enhanced in the presence of suprathermal electrons. The new marginal thresholds calculated with a bi-Kappa model are expected to provide better predictions for the limits of the temperature anisotropy in the solar wind.
Intestinal nitrogen flow, total nitrogen and 15 N balance in pigs labelled intravenously with 15 N-leucine and fed a meat meal diet

Three pigs of about 33 kg body weight, each fitted with re-entrant cannulas into the duodenum and ileum and with bladder catheters were used for the study. One of the pigs was infused intravenously with N-leucine for 8 days. Total N passage, 1 5 N nitrogen passage through the duodenum and ileum, and N balance were determined. The mean amount of total N passing the duodenum exceeded the ingested N by 12%, and that passing the ileum accounted for 27% of N intake. Of the infused 1 5 N , 67.4% was found in the urine, faeces, digesta and carcass after slaughter. Taking the recovered amount of 1 5 N as 100%, 20.4% was found in urine, 0.6% in faeces, 8.2% in digesta and 70.8% in tissues. It was concluded that 1 5 N retention from intravenously administrated leucine was much higher than from 1 5 N in urea given with feed, as estimated previously.
Can Islamic Finance Constitute A Solution to Crisis

The aim of this paper is to show that the Islamic finance is more stable than the conventional finance constituting, thus, a means to reduce the impact of financial crises. Using a VAR model for the financial indexes of France, United States, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, we show that the effect of a shock on the American market during the period of crisis is negatively transmitted on all other markets, but with a small extent on the market using the method of Islamic financing.
Seasonal response of Posidonia oceanica to light disturbances

The effects of changes in the irradiance reaching a Posidonia oceanica meadow were investigated seasonally in Portlligat Bay, NW Mediterranean, by means of in situ shading experi- ments. The results showed that reduced irradiance during the spring-summer period (SS) had a severe impact on the physiology, morphology and structure of P. oceanica meadows, whereas the same disturbance during autumn-winter (AW) had no significant effect. Changes in all the variables investigated (net leaf production, δ 13 C, shoot density and cover) clearly indicate that P. oceanica meadows are significantly more vulnerable to light deprivation between March and July than between September and January. During SS, leaf production in the plots under screens filtering 99% of the incident irradiance dropped by more than 80% with respect to the control plots, and plant sheath δ 13 C values dropped below -16‰, with a total decline greater than 4‰ with respect to the control plots. Shoot density and cover were significantly reduced in the 99% shaded plots after ca. 120 d of shading in SS (61 and 54%, respectively). However, in AW none of the shading treat- ments showed a significant reduction in leaf production, δ 13 C values, shoot density or cover. Shading in SS led to a significant decrease in epiphyte biomass, which may have increased the light reaching the leaves and smoothed the effects of shading. The results from this study show that coastal manage- ment activities that lead to changes in water transparency (i.e. dredging, beach restoration, sediment load, waste discharge, etc.) in the vicinity of climax seagrass ecosystems should be minimized in SS and performed during the shortest possible period in AW.
Parametric investigations of a nonconventional Hall thruster

Hall thrusters might better scale to low power with nonconventional geometry. A 9 cm cylindrical, ceramic-channel, Hall thruster with a cusp-type magnetic field distribution has been investigated. It exhibits discharge characteristics similar to conventional coaxial Hall thrusters, but does not expose as much channel surface. Significantly, its operation is not accompanied by large amplitude discharge low frequency oscillations.
High-resolution mm and cm study of the obscured LIRG NGC 4418 - A compact obscured nucleus fed by in-falling gas?

Context. Understanding the nature of the power-source in luminous infrared galaxies (LIRG) is difficult due to their extreme obscuration. Observations at radio and mm wavelengths can penetrate large columns of dust and gas and provide unique insights into the properties of the compact obscured nuclei of LIRGs. Aims. The aim of this study is to constrain the dynamics, structure, and feeding of the compact nucleus of NGC 4418, and to reveal the nature of the main hidden power-source: starburst or active galactic nucleus (AGN). Methods. We obtained high spatial resolution observations of NGC 4418 at 1.4 and 5 GHz with MERLIN, and at 230 and 270 GHz with the SMA in very extended configuration. We used the continuum morphology and flux density to estimate the size of the emitting region, the star formation rate, and the dust temperature. Emission lines were used to study kinematics through position-velocity diagrams. Molecular emission was studied with population diagrams and by fitting a local thermal equilibrium (LTE) synthetic spectrum. Results. We detect bright 1-mm-line emission from CO, HC3N, HNC, and C 34 S and 1.4 GHz absorption from HI. The CO 2–1 emission and HI absorption can be fit by two velocity components at 2090 and 2180 km s −1 . We detect vibrationally excited HC3 Na nd HNC, with Tvib ∼ 300 K. Molecular excitation is consistent with a layered temperature structure, with three main components at 80, 160, and 300 K. For the hot component we estimate a source size of less than 5 pc. The nuclear molecular gas surface density of
Effects of STABEX on ACPs' economic growth: Further evidence

The paper deals with the economic growth of the open and small developing countries which signed the Lome Convention (henceforth ACPs). Results showing that earnings instability damages their economic performance can be used to support the EU policy of guaranteeing financial aid to those countries suffering reductions in export proceeds. The second section of the paper analysing the workings of STABEX, however, highlights certain weaknesses in the effectiveness of STABEX transfers when their impact on economic growth is considered. The general conclusion is that, if the current EU-ACP negotiations for Lome V are to be successful, then some aspects of the scheme (eligibility criteria and use of funds) will have to be radically changed.
Optimization of viral profiling approaches reveals strong links between viral and bacterial communities in a eutrophic freshwater lake

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program for the Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, USA Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, 3035 Integrated Science Center, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185, USA Laboratory of Retroviruses, Division of Viral Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
Evidence of heavy-element ashes in thermonuclear X-ray bursts with photospheric superexpansion

A small subset of thermonuclear X-ray bursts on neutron stars exhibit such a strong photospheric expansion that for a few seconds the photosphere is located at a radius rph > 10 3 km. Such “superexpansions” imply a large and rapid energy release, a feature characteristic of pure He burst models. Previous calculations have shown that during a pure He burst, the freshly synthesized heavy-element ashes of burning can be ejected in a strong radiative wind and produce significant spectral absorption features. We search the burst data catalogs and literature and find 32 superexpansion bursts, 24 of which were detected with BeppoSAX and three with RXTE at high time resolution. We find that these bursts exhibit the following interesting features: (1) At least 31 are from (candidate) ultracompact X-ray binaries in which the neutron star accretes hydrogen-deficient fuel, suggesting that these bursts indeed ignite in a helium-rich layer. (2) In two of the RXTE bursts we detect strong absorption edges during the expansion phase. The edge energies and depths are consistent with the H-like or He-like edge of iron-peak elements with abundances >100 times solar, suggesting that we are seeing the exposed ashes of nuclear burning. (3) The superexpansion phase is always followed by a moderate expansion phase during which rph ∼ 30 km and the luminosity is near the Eddington limit. (4) The decay time of the bursts, τdecay, ranges from short (≈10 s) to intermediate (>10 3 s). However, despite the large range of τdecay, the duration of the superexpansion is always a few seconds, independent of τdecay. By contrast, the duration of the moderate expansion is always of order τdecay. (5) The photospheric radii rph during the moderate expansion phase are much smaller than steady state wind models predict. We show that this may be further indication that the wind contains highly non-solar abundances of heavy elements.
START-UP INTENTIONS AND BEHAVIOR OF NECESSITY-BASED ENTREPRENEURS: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

ABSTRACT In this study, we extend prior research by exploring the transition from nascent entrepreneur intentions to established entrepreneur behavior, whether entrepreneurial attitudes are inherent in nascent entrepreneurs, to what extent it is possible to develop entrepreneurial attitudes in non-entrepreneurs, and the use of values and attitudes to discriminate between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs. The study is longitudinal with 4.5 years between Baseline (T 1 ) and End-of-Study (T 3 ). The research involved two groups: nascent necessity-based entrepreneurs (experimental group) and non-entrepreneurs (control group) who were exposed to an intensive one year entrepreneurship training program intervention (T 1 -T 2 ). Measurements were taken at T 1 , T 2 , and T 3 . Differences in values and entrepreneurial attitudes between the groups are examined. INTRODUCTION Over the last 50 years, numerous studies have tried to differentiate entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs based on both personal and demographic characteristics (e.g., McClelland, 1961; McClelland, Atkinson, Clark, & Lowell, 1953; Brockhaus, 1975; Brockhaus & Horwitz, 1986). Though many of these individual studies produced significant results, as a body of research they produced conflicting results that were often hard to decipher (cf., Gartner, 1988). Over the past two decades, several studies examined the attitudes of entrepreneurs in an attempt to distinguish entrepreneurs from non entrepreneurs. Attitudes are generally thought of as a predisposition to respond in a favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to the attitude object (Ajzen, 1982). Though there are differing viewpoints, attitude can be conceptualized as a tripartite construct containing affective, cognitive, and conative components. (see, Eagly & Chaiken, 1993). Studies that examined entrepreneurial attitudes, e.g., Robinson, Stimpson, Heufner, & Hunt (1991) and McCline, Bhat, & Baj (2000), find that entrepreneurs exhibit attitudes different than non-entrepreneurs. Previous research, especially in marketing, identifies that personal values play an important role in attitude formation (see Kropp, Lavack & Silvera, 2005). Rokeach, (1973, p. 5) conceptualized values as “enduring beliefs that a particular mode of behavior or end-state of existence is preferable to opposite modes of behavior or end-state. ” Personal values are desirable and stable end-states (Kahle, 1983) are developed through personal heritage and life experiences (Kahle, Poulos, & Sukhdial
The burden, antibiogram and pathogenicity of bacteria found in municipal waste dumpsites and on waste site workers in Benin City

Municipal wastes may harbour microbial pathogens but the quantum and diseasecausing capacities of such organisms are rarely investigated. This study sought to establish the burden, antibiogram and pathogenicity of bacteria in 4 selected waste dumpsites and those found on hands and clothings of the respective waste dumpsite workers in Benin City. Swabs from hands and clothings of waste site workers and specimens of top soils and leacheates from waste dumpsites were obtained at monthly intervals for 12 months from 4 sites in Benin City (University of Benin, Costain Road, Government Reservation Area, and Benin Bye-pass). The samples were cultured on Blood, MacConkey and Griseofulvin nutrient agar plates and incubated aerobically and anaerobically. Heterotrophic viable bacteria counts were determined for soil and leacheate specimens. The predominant bacterial isolates from the cultured plates were phenotypically characterized using standard methods. Antimicrobial disc susceptibility tests and pathogenicity tests were also carried out on the predominant isolates. Eleven Bacteria Genera were isolated from topsoils and leacheates. They were in the following order of predominance: Bacillus sp (18.20%) Staphylococcus sp (13.93%), Escherichia coli (12.72%), Proteus sp (12.12%), Streptococcus sp (12.12%), Klebsiella sp (9.70%), Pseudomonas sp (7.90%), Citrobacter sp (5.45%), Bacteroides sp (3.03%), Clostridium sp (2.42%), Serratia sp (2.42% ). Bacterial isolates from the waste workers were essentially similar to those isolated from the dumpsites although the latter were more heavily colonized. The highest bacterial burden was recorded from the top soil samples at Benin Bye-pass dumpsite with a mean viable count of 2.0 x106+ 0.88 x106cfu/gm while the least was from the University of Benin dumpsite with mean count of 0.7x106+0.56x106cfu/gm.The antibiograms of the isolates revealed that the organisms were most susceptible to the fluroquinolones especially Ciprofloxacin (96.6%) and Pefloxacin (94.6%). They were least susceptible to Amoxacillin (51.7%) and Erythromycin (55.8%). All bacteria species isolated showed multiple drug resistance patterns with Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa each exhibiting higher levels of multidrug resistance. A number of the isolates exhibited pathogenicity traits. Whereas 27.6% of them were positive for virulence gene, 24.3% were invasive while 17.2% were diarrheagenic. We conclude that municipal waste dumpsites and those working at such sites bear heavy burdens of potentially pathogenic multidrug resistant bacteria which may constitute major public health hazards, not only to the immediate communities but also to the families of such site workers. The need to educate these waste workers on the use of appropriate protective materials and about the risks and hazards associated with their job are emphasized. Proper disposal and recycling of these wastes ought to be mandatory.
Practitioners, observers and the community of received wisdom: The actor-based approach to technological investment decisions

This paper addresses the problem of technology valuation in UK financial institutions, specifically concerning the introduction of Internet Banking. The research looked into the prescribed processes and the respective established practices for Technological Investment Decision-Making (TIDM) in banks. Significant disparity between process and practice was found, on the grounds that the actual decisions are determined by experts’ perceptions and are less about the normative assessment of economic value, as defined in academic literature and corporate handbooks. The research suggests that the TIDM problem is socially constructed (rather than externally addressed) by experts who either participate directly in decision-making or, alternatively, contribute to developing relevant methodologies. The TIDM problem is ultimately defined by the disparate perceptions of the problem that these different interested parties, or “actors”, assume. Three classes of actors were identified: (1) Practitioners, namely expert professionals in Financial Institutions, (2) Observers, primarily academic researchers, consultants and government bodies, and (3) the Community of Received Wisdom, reflecting commonly understood views on what TIDM is and how it should be made. According to the Actor-based approach, the shape of the TIDM problem results from continuous negotiations between actors’ viewpoints, in light of expert power positions, political advocacy and fitness to the prevailing TIDM paradigms. These viewpoints are by default informed by experts’ academic and professional backgrounds, which strongly influence both the received understanding of the TIDM problem, and the perceptions of practitioner and research experts. The paper recommends that the Actor-based approach may contribute to improving TIDM: instead of seeking measurement precision as the solution to valuation ambiguities, notoriously characterising technological investment, it is suggested that we take explicit account of the differently-informed perceptions of expert groups, as these are encoded into existing formal methodologies. By mobilising these disparities, newer approaches can combine the socio-political together with the economic factors for technological valuation.
Do Profitability, Firm Size and Liquidity Affect Capital Structure? Evidence from Kenyan Listed Firms

This paper was aimed at determining the effect of profitability, firm size and liquidity on capital structure. The study adopted panel data from financial statements of 34 firms listed in Narobi Securities Exchange for a period of years (2006-2012) excluding commercial banks. Pearson Correlation was employed to test linear relationship between the variables while multiple regression model were used to test the hypothesis. Findings obtained indicated that that profitability and liquidity are negatively and significantly related to capital structure. However, firm size is positively correlated and not significant on capital structure. Therefore, since the capital structure decision is a significant managerial decision which influences the shareholder’s return, risk and the market value of the share, a company has to undertake profitability and liquidity decision whenever funds have to be raised to finance investments. Key Words: Capital Structure, Liquidity and Profitability
Synthesis of a humic acid-silica gel as a low cost adsorbent for uranium and thorium removal from wastewater

Title Synthesis of a humic acid-silica gel as a low cost adsorbent for uranium and�thorium removal from wastewater [an abstract of dissertation and a summary of dissertation review] Author(s) Prasetyo, Erik Citation 北海道大学. 博士(環境科学) 甲第12414号 Issue Date 2016-09-26 Doc URL http://hdl.handle. net/2115/63842 Rights(URL) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.1/jp/ Type theses (doctoral abstract and summary of review) Additional Information There are other files related to this item in HUSCAP. Check the above URL. File Information Erik_prasetyo_abstract. pdf (論文内容の要旨)