Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EFL Teachers’ Demands and Preferences on In-service Training in Turkey

One of the significant means of ensuring quality instruction in language classrooms is establishing an effective program of continuing professional development for language teachers. When conducted efficiently as a part of CPD, in-service training (INSET) proves to be a key component in improving teachers’ instructional skills as well as keeping their methodological knowledge up-to-date. Nonetheless, both state-led and private-held INSET efforts in Turkey receive considerable criticism regarding their inefficiency and insufficiency. One of the reasons for any ineffectiveness might be INSET program developers’ negligence in taking into consideration teachers’ actual needs. Thus, more empirical research that explores language teachers’ demands and preferences on in-service training should be carried out in various contexts. Consequently, this study aims to investigate English teachers’ demands and preferences on an INSET program. Descriptive in nature and following a quantitative research design, the present study collected data from 985 state and private school teachers via a scale developed by the researchers. Having ensured construct validity via factor analysis, the scale consisted of three sub-factorial groups: demands on INSET, preferences regarding the content and the trainers, and personal preferences. The findings displayed some statistically significant differences between state and private schools, novice and experienced teachers, and between teachers who had previous INSET experience and those who do not at different sub-factorial groups. The study has implications for policymakers, who are in the process of designing an INSET model for Foreign Language Teachers, as well as teacher trainers who carry out INSET.
Daily variations of highly active bacteria in the Northern Adriatic Sea

Nowadays, it is recognized that only a fraction of aquatic bacteria are actively growing, but there is little information about the factors constraining their metabolism. Marine bacterioplankton can rapidly modify their metabolic activity level in response to environmental changes. In this study, we focused on the daily changes in abundance and activity of active bacterial fraction over a 20-day period preceded by intense rainfalls which slightly modified water column conditions. Cells capable of reducing the membrane-penetrable dye 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC), estimated by epifluorescence microscopy, are considered very active (CTC+ bacteria). Total bacterial abundance (TBA) ranged from 0.8 to 2.4 X 10 9 cells L -1 , whereas CTC+ bacteria were more variable (1.6-9.2× 10 7 cells L -1 ), accounting for 1.2-4.4% of TBA. Bacterial activity (BA) quantified as the incorporation of [3H]-leucine varied by more than one order of magnitude over the period (25.0-662.5 pmol L -1 h -1 ). BA was strongly related to CTC+ bacteria, suggesting that they were mainly responsible for the bacterial community metabolism. Nevertheless, cell-specific activity, scaled to only CTC+ cells, was very high, suggesting that a fraction of cells not detectably CTC+ may be able to assimilate [3Hj-leucine. The correlation between salinity and TBA, CTC+ bacteria and BA supported the hypothesis of the active role of freshwater input in enhancing cell activity. Our results suggest that freshwater inputs rather than phytoplanktonic blooms are able to induce shifts in bacterial metabolism over a time scale of days in the area studied.
Urinary soluble alpha chain of the interleukin-2 receptor as a biomarker of active lupus nephritis in Egyptian children with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus

Objectives This study aims to assess the urinary soluble alpha chain of the interleukin-2 receptor (sCD25) concentrations in patients with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) and to evaluate its validity to be a possible marker of disease activity in patients with lupus nephritis (LN). Patients and methods We assessed sCD25 concentrations in urine samples obtained from 53 JSLE patients (15 males, 38 females; median age 11 years; range, 7 to 17 years) and 30 age- and sex-matched apparently healthy controls (10 males, 20 females; median age 10 years; range, 6 to 16 years). Concentrations were normalized according to urinary creatinine excretion. JSLE patients were subjected to clinical examination and assessment of overall disease activity by Systemic Lupus Erythematous Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), while evaluation of LN activity was preformed using Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) renal activity score. Results The JSLE patients had significantly higher normalized urinary sCD25 concentrations compared to the healthy controls (p=0.001). Patients with active LN had significantly higher normalized urinary sCD25 levels than active JSLE patients without LN (p=0.002) and JSLE patients with inactive disease (p<0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between normalized urinary sCD25 concentrations with different activity parameters such as proteinuria (p=0.004), SLEDAI (p<0.001), renal SLEDAI (p<0.001), and SLICC renal activity score (p<0.001). A significant negative correlation was found between urinary sCD25 and complement 3 (p<0.001). Conclusion Urinary concentrations of sCD25 were significantly elevated in JSLE patients, particularly in those with active LN. The remarkable association between urinary sCD25 concentrations and different renal disease activity parameters implies that urinary sCD25 can be a beneficial marker to monitor active nephritis in JSLE patients.
Effect of Design Elements for Social Media Ads on Consumer's Purchasing Decision

Objective: Increased exposure on social media sites makes consumer vulnerable to digital advertising, promoting them to make a purchase. However, concentrated marketing necessitates devising innovative strategies for intriguing customers. This study assesses the impact of design elements of social media advertising on consumer purchasing decision. Method: Descriptive analytical research design was used, with convenience sample of 303 online shopping users. Data was collected through an online questionnaire-based survey which was analyzed statistically. Results: It showed that advertising image majorly affects the purchasing decision (41.6%), followed by typography (8%), design (4.8%) and lastly color (2.6%). However, the impact of image on the purchasing behavior of male differs. Conclusion: Effective and innovative strategies must be used for designing a social media advertisement.
Testing decreasing variabililty of cockroach forewings through time using four Recent species: Blattella germanica, Polyphaga aegyptiaca, Shelfordella lateralis and Blaberus craniifer, with implications for the study of fossil cockroach forewings

Abstract Vršanský (2000) considered there is decreasing variability in the forewings of cockroaches through time, based on a study of fossil and Recent species. This study tests his theory, based on a study of four Recent species of cockroaches: Blattella germanica (Blattellidae), Polyphaga aegyptiaca (Polyphagidae), Shelfordella lateralis (Blattidae) and Blaberus craniifer (Blaberidae). The new results, based on the coefficient of variation (CV) of the number of veins, indicate that Recent species can be more variable than fossil species and therefore do not support the theory. The results also show that at least 30 complete wings of the same species are required for a reliable CV value that is comparable between species.
The effects of spring versus summer calving on beef cattle reproductive and growth performance in western Canada

Durunna, O. N. , Girardin, L. C. , Scott, S. L. , Robins, C. , Block, H. C. , Iwaasa, A. D. , Khakbazan, M. and Lardner, H. A. 2014. The effects of spring versus summer calving on beef cattle reproductive and growth performance in western Canada. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 259–271. The majority of beef producers in western Canada have adopted a spring calving system. Evaluating alternative calving systems such as summer calving may lead to better use of forage resources to optimize cow-calf productivity. In order to evaluate the impact of calving system on cow-calf productivity, 346 Hereford or Angus crossbred cows were used in a 3-yr research study (2007 to 2009) at Brandon, Manitoba; Swift Current, Saskatchewan and Lanigan, Saskatchewan. Cows were bred to calve from February to May (early-calving system, EC) or from May to August (late-calving system, LC). Each system was evaluated for effect on performance and reproductive efficiency. Forage yield, utilization and nutritive value were assessed. Cow body weights .
Efeito da vitamina C no ganho de peso e em parâmetros hematológicos de tambaqui

(3) Resumo – O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da suplementacao dietaria com acido L-ascorbico (vitamina C) no ganho de peso e em parâmetros hematologicos de juvenis de tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum. Apos dez semanas, em que foram alimentados com dietas contendo 0, 100 e 500 mg de acido L-ascorbico por kg de racao, os peixes foram capturados e imediatamente anestesiados para a coleta de sangue da veia caudal e determinacao dos parâmetros hematologicos. Animais alimentados com maiores niveis de ascorbato mostraram pesos corporeos maiores, melhores taxas de conversao alimentar e sobrevivencia. A asencia de acido L-ascorbico na racao, alem de causar reducao nos valores de hematocrito e no numero de eritrocitos, que caracteriza anemia, provocou aumento no volume corpuscular medio, na hemoglobina corpuscular media e na concentracao de hemoglobina corpuscular media. Esses resultados revelam a importância do acido L-ascorbico na dieta dos juvenis de tambaqui. O nivel de 100 mg de acido L-ascorbico/kg de racao e adequado, garantindo bom ganho de peso e manutencao da homeostase do organismo. Termos para indexacao: Colossoma macropomum, suplemento alimentar, nutricao animal, piscicultura. Effect of vitamin C on weight and hematology of tambaqui
Optimal reception condition and narrative persuasion 1 The Joint Effects of Imagined Contact and Similarity with the Protagonist of First- Person Narratives Through Identification and Transportation

This paper presents the findings of two experiments carried out in Spain (N = 400) and the Netherlands (N = 392) testing the effects of imagined contact and similarity with a narrative protagonist on attitudes and behavioral intentions related to stigmatized immigrants. We advance a concept of an optimal reception condition: imagining a positive interaction with an immigrant before reading a personal testimonial written by an immigrant who is similar to the native audience. In both studies, participants received instructions of imagined inter-group contact (versus control instructions) before reading a first-person testimonial presenting an immigrant as similar or dissimilar. The optimal reception condition induced greater identification and narrative transportation than the reference condition, in turn leading to more positive attitudes, a higher intention of inter-group contact, and a greater desire to share the message. The findings are discussed in the context of research on narrative persuasion and prejudice reduction.
Using learning analytics to engage students: Improving teaching practices through informed interactions

Student engagement is one of the most relevant topics within the academic and research community nowadays. Higher education curriculum, teaching and learning integrate new technology- supported learning solutions. New methods and tools enhance teacher and learner interactions and influence learner engagement positively. This research addresses the need to explore new ways of improving teaching practices to better engage students with the help of learning analytics. The paper investigates how university teachers use the data from learning analytics to observe learners and to engage them in online learning. Qualitative inquiry was chosen to approach the research problem, and semi-structured interviews with the teachers using (blended) online learning were conveyed to explore teacher practices in students’ behaviour and engagement observations online, disclosing teachers’ abilities to understand the challenging learner engagement process based on the data from learning analytics. The new evidence provided by this research highlights the successful practices in the use of learning analytics data to observe students’ behaviour and engagement and to inform teachers on the presence needed in order to develop learner–centred activities and to make curriculum changes. The limitation of this study lies in the fact that the different online teaching experiences that research participants had might have restricted their understanding of the use of LA data for curriculum development and learners’ engagement.
Spermiogenesis in the shrimp, Crangon septemspinosa, Say

The spermatozoa of Crangon septemspinosa are composed of an oblong nucleus, an electron-dense acrosome and a cluster of mitochondria and (or) mitochondrial derivatives near each nuclear pole. All components of each spermatozoa are ensheathed by a membrane. The secondary spermatocytes give rise to extensive syncytia within which the spermatid nuclei become organized into clusters. The acrosome develops from a reticulum derived from vacuoles within the core of syncytial cytoplasm common to each spermatid cluster. As spermiogenesis proceeds, the base of the acrosome spreads over the nuclear envelope, each spermatid becomes enclosed in a membrane, and syncytial cytoplasm diminishes in volume and the original clustering of spermatids is lost. The spermatozoa remain within a portion of the syncytial cytoplasm in which they developed and are stored within the ejaculatory tube. According to the fine structural details the differentiation process of spermiogenesis has been divided into four stages.
Fruit Bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) as Seed Dispersers and Pollinators in a Lowland Malaysian Rain Forest1

Abstract The aims of this study were to (1) characterize the food resources exploited by fruit bats (Pteropodidae) within an old-growth Malaysian dipterocarp forest, (2) test the viability of the seeds they disperse, and (3) provide an estimate of the proportion of trees that are to some degree dependent upon bats for seed dispersal and/or pollination. Fruit species exploited by bats could be distinguished from those eaten by birds largely on the basis of color (as perceived by human beings). Bat-dispersed fruits were typically inconspicuous shades of green–yellow or dull red–brown, whereas fruits eaten by birds were generally bright orange to red. Dietary overlap between bats and nonflying mammals was relatively high. In contrast to primates and squirrels, which were major seed predators for several of the plant species under investigation, fruit bats had no negative impact on seed viability. A botanical survey in 1 ha of old-growth forest revealed that 13.7 percent of trees (≥15 cm girth at breast height) were at least partially dependent upon fruit bats for pollination and/or seed dispersal.
Day-Ahead Short-Term Load Forecasting Using the Hierarchical Temporal Memory

ABSTRACTABSTRACTABSTRACT Short-term load forecasting is an important area in power research that requires knowledge of the future outcomes of load demand on the power system generation for short durations such as in seconds, minutes, hours or days. In this paper, an emerging state-of-the-art machine intelligence technique called the Hierarchical Temporal Memory (HTM) is employed for day-ahead short-term load forecasting. A HTM Spatial Pooler stage is used to continually form sparse distributed representations (SDRs) from a univariate load time series data, a temporal aggregator is used to transform the SDRs into a sequential bi-variate representation space and an overlap classifier makes temporal classifications from the bi-variate SDRs through time. The performance of HTM on several electrical load time series data is presented.
Detection of Campylobacter jejuni among Commercial Broiler Chickens in East-Coast Malaysia

*Corresponding author's Email: drzaidah@usm.my; ORCID: 0000-0002-6612-8360 Received: 29 Mar. 2020 Accepted: 10 May 2020 ABSTRACT Human campylobacteriosis is associated with contaminated foods and drinks or direct contact with the source of organisms. Broilers are the main reservoir of Campylobacter as well as the primary source of meat in many countries. The microorganism load in broilers is converted into the rate of food-related campylobacteriosis. The present study aimed to determine the Campylobacter jejuni colonization load in commercial broiler chickens in east coast Malaysia. Cloaca swabs were taken after consent from the owners of selected broiler farms in Kelantan, Malaysia. Swabs were kept in Amie’s transport media before being placed in enrichment broth. The DNA was extracted directly from the broth and specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed, which targeted hippurate hydrolase (hipO) gene of C. jejuni. Three broiler farms from different districts in Kelantan were identified. A total of 120 cloacal swabs were analyzed, 20% (24/120) confirmed by PCR-positive for hipO gene when the amplified product with the band size of approximately 344 bases per was visualized on agarose gel. It is concluded that the prevalence of C. jejuni colonization among living broiler flocks in Kelantan was at a low level. However, further studies with bigger sample size and involvement of more farms are needed.
Measuring the influence of mycorrhizas.

'The view that nutrient acquisition by most plants growing in natural ecosystems is mediated by mycorrhiza-forming symbiotic fungi is now largely accepted' (Read, 2000). Is this bold claim really true for the whole suite of mineral nutrients that plants require? The case is strongest for nutrients that are not very mobile in soil, especially when present in growth-limiting amounts, and phosphate (P) is the classic example. Arbuscular mycorrhizas are by far the most widespread mycorrhizal symbioses, and the ability of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to take up soil nutrients such as P and transfer them to the host plant is an area of intense research. However, there is great variation in the extent to which AM plants benefit in measurable terms from the symbiosis under a given set of environmental conditions, and a paper in this issue, by Koide et al., addresses this problem (Koide et al., pp. 163-168). The variability is especially apparent in the field, thus obscuring the possible roles of mycorrhizas in community structure and succession (Fitter, 1985; McGonigle, 1988).
Culture as Extraorganic Mode of Adaptation to Environment (Education and Teaching as a Culture Phenomenon)

The article contains an analysis of the notion of culture as an element of ecological niche, as an effect of evolution, as a form of adaptation, as a heritage of mankind and shows the result of the inadequacy between cultural and biological niche. The next analysis concerns the notion of civilization and the question of biological evolution and cultural transitions, culture and education and science, and finally culture and natural environment. © Kamla-Raj Enterprises 2007 Anthropology Today: Trends, Scope and Applications Anthropologist Special Volume No. 3: 525-534 (2007) Veena Bhasin & M.K. Bhasin, Guest Editors Authors’ Addresses: Anna Siniarska, Department of Human Biology, Human Ecology Unit, Cardinal Wyszyñski University, Warsaw, Poland Napoleon Wolañski, Departamento de Ecologia Humana, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados. Merida, Mexico
Public and Private Antitrust Enforcement: Does the EU Directive Preserve Leniency Incentives?

The new EU Directive on Antitrust Damages Actions encourages private enforcement of competition law. Such private damages actions may undermine the effectiveness of public enforcement, which relies heavily on self-reporting by cartel members under the leniency program. The leniency program does not exempt applicants from damages claims. The Directive includes special liability rules to safeguard incentives to apply for leniency. This paper compares these rules on joint and several liability, contribution and punitive damages to the US system. Using a game theoretical approach, the paper finds that the US framework better safeguards leniency incentives than the European rules, by limiting civil liability for the leniency applicant as compared to the other cartel members.
Analyzing Iranian Farmers' Behavioral Intention towards Acceptance of Drip Irrigation Using Extended Technology Acceptance Model

The present study aimed to analyze sugar beet farmers’ intention towards the acceptance of drip irrigation based on an extended version of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The main objectives of this study were introduction of the existing acceptance behavior models, comparison of these theories with a critical point of view, presentation of a theoretical framework based on TAM, and testing the possible relationships among variables. This descriptive-correlational research was conducted through a cross-sectional survey. The statistical population of the study was sugar beet growers of Miandoab District, Iran, of which 346 farmers were selected as the sample of the study using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method (N= 3326). The research instrument was a structured questionnaire, whose face, convergent, and discriminant validity were confirmed. Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability coefficients were employed to examine the reliability of research tool (0.74< α< 0.93). The results revealed that the variables of attitude, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness have significant positive effects on behavioral intention towards accepting drip irrigation technology. Innovation features also have an indirect effect on behavioral intention. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that independent variables of extended version of TAM could account for 59.3% of variance of behavioral intention towards drip irrigation acceptance. The significant effect of attitude towards acceptance of drip irrigation in explaining farmers' intention towards acceptance of drip irrigation technologies implies that reinforcing farmers' attitudes will increase the likelihood of activating behavioral intention towards these new irrigation methods. In general, the results of this study contribute to the development of more integrated and comprehensive models in the field of farmers' acceptance behaviors. It also provides practitioners and policy makers of agriculture and water sectors with some useful insights regarding determinants and strategies of behavioral changes.