Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constructing and Validating Computerized Dynamic Assessment of L2 Reading Comprehension

The main purpose of this study was to construct and validate a Computerized version of Dynamic Assessment (C-DA) and examine its effectiveness in enhancing reading comprehension. Feasibility and concern for psychometric properties of testing are issues that have limited the use of DA approaches. In this study, C-DA is offered as a solution for overcoming such limitations. To this end, a software package named Computerized Dynamic Reading Test (CDRT) was developed. The software is capable of providing test takers with strategy-based hints. For each test taker, two scores are assigned by the software; a non-dynamic score which is based on test takers' first try of each item and a dynamic score which is based on the average hints they have employed. One hundred and four university students took the test. The findings of the study indicated that while observing the psychometric standards of testing namely, reliability and validity, CDA was useful both in improving students' reading comprehension ability and in obtaining information about their potentiality for learning which goes beyond and over the initial performance level. While some test takers made the best use of the
The nonlinear behavior of a sheared immiscible fluid interface

The two-dimensional Kelvin–Helmholtz instability of a sheared fluid interface separating immiscible fluids is studied by numerical simulations. The evolution is determined by the density ratio of the fluids, the Reynolds number in each fluid, and the Weber number. Unlike the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability of miscible fluids, where the sheared interface evolves into well-defined concentrated vortices if the Reynolds number is high enough, the presence of surface tension leads to the generation of fingers of interpenetrating fluids. In the limit of a small density ratio the evolution is symmetric, but for a finite density difference the large amplitude stage consists of narrow fingers of the denser fluid penetrating into the lighter fluid. The initial growth rate is well predicted by inviscid theory when the Reynolds numbers are sufficiently high, but the large amplitude behavior is strongly affected by viscosity and the mode that eventually leads to fingers is longer than the inviscidly most unstable one.
Evaluation of commercial traps of various designs for capturing the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract The attractiveness of six different traps, one hand-made and five commercially available, on olive fruit fly adults, was compared in the field. Experiments were undertaken at three different localities of Messinia Co., SW Greece, with varying conditions of fruit load and pest population density. The Glass-Plastic Elkofon Trap attracted more adult flies than any other type of trap. Satisfactory catches were also given by the Glass McPhail trap, the Plastic McPhail trap and the Plastic Elkofon trap, whereas low attractiveness was demonstrated by the Bottle trap and the Pouch trap. It is clear from the findings of this study that trap captures of the olive fruit fly are significantly influenced by trap design (e.g. shape, materials, special features), especially during the period of the high population peak (mid-September – early November) as well as in olive orchards with a high pest population density. In olive orchards with a low pest population density no significant differences were recorded among captures of different trap types. We discuss ways of improving the mass-trapping technique as a control method against olive fruit fly.
Implementing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping

FOR autonomous agents to successfully navigate, they must be able to recognize their current position in the world. While many systems rely on the Global Positioning System (GPS) for absolute positioning, there are many GPSdenied environments such as indoors or in urban areas where GPS reception is severely degraded or not available. The vision community has developed a Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) framework[8], [7], [4], [35] that utilizes laser range finders and vision sensors to both recognize previously viewed locations and use successive images to estimate changes in an agent’s pose[29]. The SLAM approach provides a valuable framework that allows for other nonoptical sensors in addition to, or in place of, the optical sensors for which it was designed. This paper will provide an overview of existing SLAM techniques and a brief review of several implementations. This will be done by describing the SLAM problem formulation, followed by the details involved in implementing both the image recognition and motion estimation approaches. The application of SLAM using other sensors, such as radar, will also be discussed.
Identification of a naturally occurring 2, 6-bis (1.1- dimethylethyl)-4-methylphenol from purple leaves of the halophyte plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

2, 6-Bis (1.1-dimethylethyl)-4-methylphenol (BHT) is a synthetic antioxidant used generally for food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The leaf extract from the halophyte plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, was fractionated by using semi-preparative HPLC. The different fractions were tested for their antioxidant activity using DPPH method. One fraction exhibited a high level of antioxidant activity. The molecule responsible for this antioxidant activity was identified as 2, 6-bis (1.1-dimethylethyl)-4-methylphenol) by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS).
A New Numerical Algorithm for Solving a Class of Fractional Advection-Dispersion Equation with Variable Coefficients Using Jacobi Polynomials

We propose Jacobi-Gauss-Lobatto collocation approximation for the numerical solution of a class of fractional-in-space advection-dispersion equation with variable coefficients based on Caputo derivative. This approach has the advantage of transforming the problem into the solution of a system of ordinary differential equations in time this system is approximated through an implicit iterative method. In addition, some of the known spectral collocation approximations can be derived as special cases from our algorithm if we suitably choose the corresponding special cases of Jacobi parameters and . Finally, numerical results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed spectral algorithms.
RISK MANAGEMENT FOR GEOTHERMAL PROJECTS

Different practices and application of recent advances in technology have contributed in mitigating inherent risks in geothermal exploration and development in the Philippines. Significant stride has been achieved in sustaining existing installed plant capacities, despite the challenges faced in maturing geothermal fields. Crucial to this is the geothermal industry’s ability to minimize risk in the existing geothermal fields which is needed to sustain their long term production for at least 25 years. The formulation of development and management strategies leads to a better operation and a more efficient use of geothermal resources, which has been continuously evolving in response to the changing thermodynamic and chemical properties of the reservoir fluids. The different aspects of these management strategies as well as the other practices are reviewed in this paper.
Development of new set of microsatellite markers in cultivated tobacco and their transferability in other Nicotiana spp.

Scarcity of molecular markers in tobacco has been a limitation, hampering the acceleration of breeding efforts. Development of microsatellite markers is a prerequisite for mapping, tagging of many useful qualitative and quantitative traits and also for the generation of saturated linkage map. Use of microsatellite-enriched genomic libraries an efficient and rapid method for the identification of clones harboring microsatellite motifs leading to the development of microsatellite markers. In the present study, a total of 111 microsatellite motifs was identified from the enriched library, of which, 70 motifs (which includes perfect and imperfect repeat) were used for marker development. These newly developed markers could successfully differentiated different types of tobacco and diverse cultivars of Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco. The high rate of transferability (95-7% - 100%) of these microsatellite markers in a wide range of Nicotiana species indicated their potential as viable resources in the inter-specific gene transfer programme. The set of microsatellite markers developed in this study is a valuable addition to the already available DNA marker resources in tobacco.
Measuring Financial Cycles in a Model-Based Analysis: Empirical Evidence for the United States and the Euro Area

We adopt an unobserved components time series model to extract financial cycles for the United States and the five largest euro area countries over the period 1970 to 2014. We find that credit, the credit-to-GDP ratio and house prices have medium-term cycles which share a few common statistical properties. We show that financial cycles are longer and more ample than business cycles, and that their length and amplitude vary over time and across countries.
Gaia Data Release 2

Context. Amongst the ≈5 × 105 sources identified as variable stars in Gaia Data Release 2 (DR2), 26% are rotational modulation variable candidates of the BY Dra class. Gaia DR2 provides their multi-band (G, GBP, and GRP) photometric time series collected by the European Space Agency spacecraft Gaia during the first 22 months of operations as well as the essential parameters related to their flux modulation induced by surface inhomogeneities and rotation. Aims. We developed methods to identify the BY Dra variable candidates and to infer their variability parameters. Methods. BY Dra candidates were pre-selected from their position in the Hertzsprung–Russel diagram, built from Gaia parallaxes, G magnitudes, and (GBP − GRP) colours. Since the time evolution of the stellar active region can disrupt the coherence of the signal, segments not much longer than their expected evolution timescale were extracted from the entire photometric time series, and period search algorithms were applied to each segment. For the Gaia DR2, we selected sources with similar periods in at least two segments as candidate BY Dra variables. Results were further filtered considering the time-series phase coverage and the expected approximate light-curve shape. Results. Gaia DR2 includes rotational periods and modulation amplitudes of 147 535 BY Dra candidates. The data unveil the existence of two populations with distinctive period and amplitude distributions. The sample covers 38% of the whole sky when divided into bins (HEALPix) of ≈0.84 square degrees, and we estimate that this represents 0.7–5% of all BY Dra stars potentially detectable with Gaia. Conclusions. The preliminary data contained in Gaia DR2 illustrate the vast and unique information that the mission is going to provide on stellar rotation and magnetic activity. This information, complemented by the exquisite Gaia parallaxes, proper motions, and astrophysical parameters, is opening new and unique perspectives for our understanding of the evolution of stellar angular momentum and dynamo action.
Finite‐dimensional asymptotic behavior in a thermosyphon including the Soret effect

We analyse the dynamics of a fluid transporting a soluble substance in the interior of a closed loop of arbitrary geometry and subjected to the action of gravity and natural convection. After obtaining the governing equations and analysing the well posedness of the system we prove the existence of a global attractor. Finally, using inertial manifold techniques, we obtain an explicit reduced system of ODE's that describes the asymptotic behaviour of the full system.
Economic growth, globalization and trade

The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between economic growth, globalization and trade. The manuscript uses the assumptions of the economic growth exogenous and endogenous models. It introduces new proxies for explain the economic growth as in intra-industry trade, foreign direct investment and globalization index. The results indicate that economic growth is a dynamic process. The intra-industry has a positive impact on economic growth. This paper confirms relevant theoretical hypothesis as foreign direct investment and globalization promotes the economic growth. The good results obtained with GMM system estimator suggest that the building of dynamic theoretical models will be of interest to academic researchers.
Evidence of seasonal reproduction in the Atlantic vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus, and an apparent link with the timing of photosynthetic primary production

Here we present evidence of seasonal reproduction in the deep-sea vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus, a dominant member of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) hydrothermal fauna in the Azores region. This is the first time that seasonal reproduction has been suggested for any deep-sea vent organism. This discovery was made possible by the use of novel, acoustically-retrievable cages, which allowed us to extend the frequency and temporal range of sampling that was previously limited to the summer months. The main spawning peak, at the Menez Gwen vent field (840 m) occurs in late December–January and shows a correlation with a winter–spring bloom in primary production in the euphotic zone. Our results suggest that this surface-derived material may act as both a food source for the dispersing mussel larvae and as a reproductive cue/supplementary nutritional source for the adult mussels. Further evidence of a dependence on photosynthetic inputs comes from the relationship between particulate feeding levels, which themselves correlate with the phytoplankton peak, and the amounts of storage tissue in the mantle, which ultimately gets converted into gonad. Thus, the pattern and energetics of reproduction in the Atlantic vent mussel B. azoricus closely resembles that found in the coastal mussel Mytilus edulis, which has been described as an adaptation for optimizing the timing of reproduction against a background of seasonally-varying food availability. This discovery emphasizes the complexity of the nutritional pathways found in some deep-sea chemosynthetic environments and highlights the need for more time-series studies.
Performance and Design of an L-C-L Converter for Voltage Regulator Type Applications

In resonant converters, lagging power factor operation is preferred. Also, if the converter switches are operated at constant frequency, or during the operating load range, the change in frequency is kept minimum, then the switch as well as the converter components can be best utilized. The paper investigates a three-element L-C-L converter topology to operate with minimum change in operating frequency. The analysis and performance are reported for lagging power factor mode of operation. The analysis yields easy-to-use closed-form equations, which can be used to design the converter. Design criteria for voltage regulator type applications are discussed. The usefulness of the design methodology is proved by prototype experiments.
An ı l Al-Rebholz Negotiations on Tradition and Modernity in the German Migration Context : a Comparison of the Life Histories of a Young Kurdish Woman and a Moroccan Woman

Considering migration to be a gendered experience, in this article, I focus on the gender-specifi c processes of cultural production and tradition-building in the context of migration and pose the following questions: What happens to gendered biographies in a migration context? What role does gender play with respect to the rupture, renewal, or building of traditions in migration processes? Drawing on the basic assumption that “gender fundamentally organizes the social relations and structures,” which in turn shapes the processes of migration (cf. Curran, 2006, 199), I make use of the concept of gender defi ned as an accomplishment, as a performance in daily interaction practices: When we view gender as an accomplishment, an achieved property of situated conduct, our attention shift s from matters internal to the individual, and focuses on interactional and, ultimately, institutional arenas. (West et al., 1987, 126)
Socio-economic determinants of off-farm activity participation in Bangladesh

The study was conducted in two districts of Bangladesh to determine the factors affecting the participation in off-farm activity. A total of 150 sample farmers were selected for interview through random sampling technique. The results showed that the average annual income was higher for service holders (Tk.1,83,696) compared to business (Tk. 1,69,215) and off-farm labour activities (Tk.1,09,373). Participations in activities like business and services were positively influenced by the farm size and education respectively. On the other hand, farm size and education were inversely related with participation in off-farm labour activities. Farmers in the study areas mentioned low income from agriculture as a reason for participating in off-farm activity.
A simple multithreaded implementation of the EM algorithm for mixture models

Finite mixture models have been widely used for the modelling and analysis of data from heterogeneous populations. Maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters is typically carried out via the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm. The complexity of the implementation of the algorithm depends on the parametric distribution that is adopted as the component densities of the mixture model. In the case of the skew normal and skew t-distributions, for example, the E-step would involve complicated expressions that are computationally expensive to evaluate. This can become quite time-consuming for large and/or high-dimensional datasets. In this paper, we develop a multithreaded version of the EM algorithm for the fitting of finite mixture models. Due to the structure of the algorithm for these models, the E- and M-steps can be easily reformulated to be executed in parallel across multiple threads to take advantage of the processing power available in modern-day multicore machines. Our approach is simple and easy to implement, requiring only small changes to standard code. To illustrate the approach, we focus on a fairly general mixture model that includes as special or limiting cases some of the most commonly used mixture models including the normal, t-, skew normal, and skew t-mixture models.
Competitive Pressure and Innovation at the Firm Level

This paper provides empirical evidence on the relationship between market competitive pressure and firms' innovation using panel data of Spanish manufacturing firms for 1990–2006. We depart from standard measures of competition, and construct variables capturing the fundamentals of competitive pressure (product substitutability, market size and entry costs) to test the theoretical predictions of Vives [2008, The Journal of Industrial Economics] for free entry. Our results line up favourably with these predictions. We obtain that greater product substitutability and higher costs of entry lead to more process innovation but less product innovation, whereas market enlargement spurs both product and process innovation.
A sustainable laboratory approach for contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) monitoring in Nigeria: Comparison between two serological tests in an endemic area complimented with post mortem lesions

Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Nigeria. Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture P.M. B 2373, Makurdi, Nigeria. Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa P. Bag X04 0110 Onderstepoort, South Africa. Department of Veterinary Surgery and Theriogenology, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES OF SOME COMMERCIAL PLANTS FROM MACEDONIA

The ethanolic crude extracts of Calendula officinalis L. (flores), Primula officinalis L. (flores), Sambucus nigra L. (flores), Helichrysum arenarium L. (flores), have been examined for their antioxidant and antibacterial activity. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) radical was used for evaluation of free radical scavenging and the antibacterial activity was evaluated by using agar well diffusion assay. Among the studied plants, Primula officinalis L. (IC50 = 152.94 μg/ml) showed better antioxidant activity, followed by Sambucus nigra L (IC50 = 313.04 μg/ml) and Helichrysum arenarium L. (IC50 = 333.59 μg/ml). Calendula officinalis L. showed very weak antioxidant activity (IC50 = 1066.65 μg/ml). Plant extracts were tested against six bacterial stains: Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonus auriginosa ATCC 9027, Klepsiella pnumonia ATCC 700603, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 19433. All four extracts were able to inhibit most of the stains. The best results were given against S. aureus, while K. pneumonia was shown as the most resistant stein. The results indicated that all of the plant extracts tested in this study, could be considered promising natural antioxidant sources and great potential as natural antibacterial compounds against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Learning About Spatial and Temporal Scale: Current Research, Psychological Processes, and Classroom Implications

ABSTRACT Geoscientists analyze and integrate spatial and temporal information at a range of scales to understand Earth processes. Despite this, the concept of scale is ill defined and taught unevenly across the K–16 continuum. This literature review focuses on two meanings of scale: one as the magnitude of the extent of a dimension and the other as a relationship between objects or events. We review 42 papers from science education and discipline-based education research (DBER) literature on students' conceptions related to one or both meanings of scale. Analysis of this prior work reveals a broader (though still limited) research base on domain general concepts of scale as magnitude and scant research on scale as a relationship. Learners begin reasoning about spatial and temporal magnitudes categorically by working with scales based on standard units and nonmetric values, such as body length. Concepts of scale magnitudes outside human experience are nonlinear. Facility with fractions and proportional reasoning are positively associated with the ability to reason about scale as a relationship. Two constructs from the psychological literature, structure mapping and the category adjustment model, offer theoretical accounts for these findings. We borrow a typology from the psychological literature to frame common geoscience instructional models in the context of spatial and temporal scale and suggest how instructors might facilitate students' reasoning about scale models. We identify a number of avenues for possible future research, including a critical need to understand how conceptual understanding of scale develops across the K–16 continuum.
Financial Literacy and the Demand for Financial Advice

The low level of financial literacy across households suggests that they are at risk of making suboptimal financial decisions. In this paper, we analyze the effect of investors’ financial literacy on their decision to demand professional, non-independent advice. We find that non-independent advisors are not sufficient to alleviate the problem of low financial literacy. The investors with a low level of financial literacy are less likely to consult an advisor, but they delegate their portfolio choice more often or do not invest in risky assets at all. We explain this evidence with a highly stylized model of strategic interaction between investors and better informed advisors with conflicts of interests. The advisors provide more information to knowledgeable investors, who anticipating this are more likely to consult them.