Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal analysis of the environmental literacy of undergraduate students in Eastern Taiwan

Abstract Although higher education is crucial for training future professionals to deal with environmental challenges, there have been few longitudinal studies exploring how university students’ academic major influences their environmental literacy. This study identifies significant differences in environmental literacy among students from different colleges at a public comprehensive university in eastern Taiwan, both at the onset and towards the end of their studies. This analysis also shows how undergraduate students’ environmental literacy changes over time. It was found that freshman students in different colleges had similar environmental literacy levels except for science and engineering students. But after four years the environmental literacy gap between seniors in management and non-management students became obvious. In addition, seniors’ environmental literacy generally decreased or remained the same as that in their freshman year. The results suggest that to foster environmentally responsible citizens, educators in higher education should put more effort on cooperating with non-formal environmental education programs and connecting their teaching with environmental issues, action strategies, and inspiring visions. Finally, implications for program developers and policymakers in higher education are discussed.
The role of career wellness in living and studying for South African first-year university students

This study explored the relationship between career wellness, emotional wellness, life satisfaction, and learning and study strategy (LSS) orientation among a sample of 15 458 South African first-year university students. Data were obtained from an institutional repository, including assessments on career wellness, emotional wellness, life satisfaction, and LSS orientation of first-year students. Regression analysis results indicated career wellness scores predicted life satisfaction, emotional wellness, and general LSS orientation. The results provided evidence of the importance of career wellness support to the university adjustment of first-year university students in a developing country setting.
Multi-trait, multi-method talent assessment through a digital platform: Relationship with job performance

This study investigated whether a multi-method assessment approach increases variance for predicting future job performance compared to a single-method approach measuring similar constructs. Participants were managers (n = 539, female = 29%, average age 38 years, SD = 7 years) across a variety of organisations, including the utilities (n = 145), mining (n= 83), telecommunications (n = 98), Information Technology and professional service sectors (n = 213), drawn from samples across Namibia (n = 54), Nigeria (n = 53), Saudi Arabia (n = 105), South Africa (n = 177), the United Arab Emirates (n = 88), and the United Kingdom (n = 62). The managers used a digital platform to complete multi-trait multi-method (MTMM) measures which included competency-based video interviewing, work-related self-report measures, work simulations and aptitude assessments, each measuring work-related competencies. Structural equation modelling was used to determine paths between measures and work performance. Acceptable model fit for the measurement model was established through confirmatory factor analysis. A constrained and baseline model was used to investigate predictive paths to job performance. The baseline model proved to explain greater variance between measures and job performance than the constrained model. This provides support for deploying a multi-method assessment approach, including both self-rated and expert rated content, in a modern organisational context; and using an integrated digital platform.
Corporate sustainability and firm performance in small and medium enterprises in Ghana: Mediating role of green innovation

This study examined green innovation influences on the relationship between business organisation corporate sustainability and its performance related to market share, profitability, and market positioning. Participants (n = 432) were from the hospitality (n = 138), agribusiness (n = 74), manufacturing (n = 105) and professional services (n = 115) industries of Ghana (female = 38%; mean age = 34.6 years, SD = 0.897 years, age range = 18–60 years). Data analysis using partial least square structural equation modelling indicated environmental, social, and economic sustainability were associated with firm market performance through the offering of value-added green products and services that satisfy market needs, demands, and expectations. Green innovation practices of the organisation had an indirect effect on the relationship between corporate sustainability practices and firm performance through the conversion and utilisation of novel green knowledge and resources to commercialise new improved green products and services. The findings offer support for the natural resource-based view of firms’ competitive edge using eco-innovation for sustainable market and operational performance.
Changes in the structure and composition of pineapple leaf fiber after alkali and ionic surfactant pretreatments and their impact on enzymatic hydrolysis

Abstract The current study investigated the effects of two different pretreatments (NaOH and alkaline surfactant assisted) on the chemical, morphological and enzymatic saccharification of pineapple leaf fiber (PALF). Results showed that both pretreatments significantly reduced lignin content of the biomass, achieving a 69.6 and a 76.3% reduction for NaOH and surfactant pretreated materials, respectively. SEM, CLSM and FTIR-ATR techniques were used to evaluate morphological changes in the fibers after pretreatments. Images obtained revealed cellulose exposure and lignin redistribution in the pretreated fibers. Surfactant pretreated material provided the best results after enzymatic hydrolysis compared to NaOH and untreated PALF. A final enzymatic hydrolysis yield of 81.8% was obtained after a 24 h process using surfactant pretreated fibers, in comparison to 75.9 and 45.1% yields for NaOH pretreated material and raw fibers, respectively. Nowadays, the use of agricultural residues for high added value products is of great importance for sustainable development. This work specifically studied an effective and green approach for lignin removal and enzymatic hydrolysis from pineapple leaf fiber that is an abundant waste in Costa Rica and an interesting feedstock for biorefinery processes design.
Menstrual cycle and sex effects on sympathetic responses to acute chemoreﬂex stress

Menstrual cycle and sex effects on sympathetic responses to acute chemoreﬂex stress. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 308: H664–H671, 2015. study aimed to examine the effects of sex (males vs. females) and sex hormones (menstrual cycle phases in women) on sympathetic responsiveness to severe chemoreﬂex activation in young, healthy individuals. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) was measured at baseline and during rebreathing followed by a maximal end-inspira-tory apnea. In women, baseline MSNA was greater in the midluteal (ML) than early-follicular (EF) phase of the menstrual cycle. Baseline MSNA burst incidence was greater in men than women, while burst frequency and total MSNA were similar between men and women only in the ML phase. Chemoreﬂex activation evoked graded increases in MSNA burst frequency, amplitude, and total activity in all participants. In women, this sympathoexcitation was greater in the EF than ML phase. The sympathoexcitatory response to chemoreﬂex stimulation of the EF phase in women was also greater than in men. Nonetheless, changes in total peripheral resistance were similar between sexes and menstrual cycle phases. This indicates that neurovascular transduction was attenuated during the EF phase during chemoreﬂex activation, thereby offsetting the exaggerated sympathoexcitation. Chemoreﬂex-induced increases in mean arterial pressure were similar across sexes and menstrual cycle phases. During acute chemoreﬂex stimulation, reduced neurovascular transduction could provide a mechanism by which apnea-associated morbidity might be attenuated in women relative to men.
Early transition to microdiets improves growth, reproductive performance and 1 reduces skeletal anomalies in zebrafish

Zebrafish is a model species with a high variability of feeding regimes among fish 16 facilities. The use of live feeds for early life stages is a common practice and few 17 studies have focused early weaning into microdiets. The lack of standardized feeding 18 protocols amongst research facilities promotes discrepancies in biological performances 19 and few studies relate dietary regimes to zebrafish development. The objective of this 20 work was to assess the effect of an early transition into microdiets in zebrafish 21 development by evaluating growth, survival, reproductive performance and skeletal 22 anomalies. These parameters were assessed in one group exclusively fed on Artemia 23 nauplii and two groups fed on microdiets (commercial and experimental). Results 24 showed that an early weaning with the two microdiets significantly improved zebrafish 25 growth and reproductive performance, while a decrease in incidence of vertebral 26 column anomalies was observed. A high survival was also maintained in fish fed 27 microdiets at an early developmental stage when comparing to exclusive Artemia 28 nauplii feeding. In conclusion, early weaning with high quality microdiets is beneficial 29 for zebrafish growth, reproductive performance and skeletal development, contributing 30 to the standardization of zebrafish husbandry practices. 31 Results as means ± standard deviation (SD). Data normality was tested using a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Mean differences between treatments for fish growth and length were analyzed using a Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a Mann-Whitney U 201 Test ( p < 0.05). Statistical differences between treatments for skeletal anomalies were 202 evaluated with Person´s Chi-squared test ( p < 0.05). Significant differences between 203 treatments for the number of eggs and the number of eggs per female was evaluated 204 using a Student´s t -test ( p < 0.05). IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 software was used for data 205 and statistical analysis.
Schizophrenia to Ticks and Tick-Borne Encephalitis

Schizophrenia prevalence in the United States is highest in ur-banized Northeastern, Northwestern, and Great Lakes States. The viral theory of schizophrenia attributes this distribution to enhanced susceptibility to viral infections in crowded, urban areas. Such infections during fetal or perinatal development are hypothesized to result in the eventual onset of schizophrenia. This study attempts to identify which viral infections have a similar geographical distribution to schizophrenia. Examination of the geographical distribution of infectious diseases in the United States reveals that the spreading foci of Lyme disease and its primary vectors, Ixodid ticks, correlate significantly with high schizophrenia rate areas. Ixodid ticks are vectors in North America and throughout the world of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). The international distribution of TBE is shown to be concentrated in countries where the highest rates of schizophrenia are found: Croatia, Norway, Finland, Germany, Ireland, and others. The geographical specificity of this correlation and the plausibility of a tick-associated or TBE theory of schizophrenia are discussed. Various methods testable hypotheses the cause of disease. An infrequently used but valid is medical geography. Medical geography compares the distribution other trace quality, nutrient geography, and other health-associated
AdultsResponses in Young Adults but not Elderly Predicts Influenza Vaccine Antibody Response + PD-1+ Circulating CXCR5

Although inﬂuenza vaccination is recommended for all adults annually, the incidence of vaccine failure, deﬁned as weak or absent increase in neutralizing Ab titers, is increased in the elderly compared with young adults. The T follicular helper cell (Tfh) subset of CD4 T cells provides B cell help in germinal centers and is necessary for class-switched Ab responses. Previous studies suggested a role for circulating Tfh cells (cTfh) following inﬂuenza vaccination in adults, but cTfh have not been studied in elderly adults in whom weak vaccine responses are often observed. In this study, we studied cTfh expressing CXCR5 and programmed death-1 (PD-1). cTfh from elderly adults were present at reduced frequency, had decreased in vitro B cell help ability, and had greater expression of ICOS compared with young adults. At 7 d after inactivated inﬂuenzavaccination, cTfh correlatedwith inﬂuenzavaccine–speciﬁc IgM and IgG responses in young adults but not in elderly adults. In sum, we have identiﬁed aging-related changes in cTfh that correlated with reduced inﬂuenza vaccine responses. Future rational vaccine design efforts should incorporate Tfh measurement as an immune correlate of protection, particularly in the setting of aging. The Journal of Immunology , 2014, 193: 000–000. nnual vaccination against inﬂuenza A is recommended for all individuals . 6 B cells compared with cTfh from young adults. Inﬂuenza vaccination induces a clear increase in ICOS expression in from but only a weak increase in the suggesting defects in vaccine-induced Tfh activation. This change is predictive of and IgG responses in but not adults. In summary, we identify aging-related changes in cTfh that are associated with reduced inﬂuenza vaccine-induced Ab responses. Future studies of cTfh as a T cell– of are warranted.
DOES INNOVATION CAUSE EXPORTS?

Trade and growth theories predict a mutual causation of innovation and exports. We test empirically whether innovation causes exports using a uniquely rich German micro dataset. Our instrumental-variable strategy identifies variation in innovative activity that is caused by specific impulses and obstacles reported by the firms, which can reasonably be viewed as exogenous to firms’ export performance. We find that innovation attributable to this variation leads to an increase of roughly 7 percentage points in the export share of German manufacturing firms. The evidence is robust to several alternative specifications, similar for product and process innovations, and heterogeneous across sectors. JEL classification: F1, O3, L1.
TRADITIONAL NEWBORN CARE IN JIMMA TOWN, SOUTHWEST

BACKGROUND: Neonatal deaths in general, early neonatal deaths in particular now represent two- third of infant deaths and one-third of under-five deaths worldwide. Therefore, improving newborn survival is a major priority in child health today. Negotiation of improved neonatal health care practice into the community requires differentiation of benign from harmful indigenous practices. The objective of the study was to assess traditional care given to newborns in Jimma Town. METHODS: A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted from February 8-22, 2004 in Jimma Town among 700 mothers of infant age 6 months or less. Descriptive statistics and inferences were done using SPSS for Windows version 11.0 and statistical significance was taken when p< 0.05. RESULT: Out of 700 sampled, 650 subjects were reached giving a response rate of 93%. However, the data of 40 subjects were not complete and so analysis was done on the 610 mothers with complete data. Five hundred twenty two (85.6 %) had antenatal care attendance for the last pregnancy and 436 (71.5%) of the index children were delivered in health institutions. Bedding-in (babies slept with mothers) was done for 591 (96.9%) neonates, prelacteal feeds was given to 77 (12.6%) neonates and 305 (50.0%) were initiated on breast-feeding after 12 hours of the delivery. On-demand and frequent (> 8/day) breast-feeding was reported by 569 (93.2%) of the mothers and breastfeeding problems by 44 (8.9%) of the mothers, Three hundred fifty six (58.4%) of the babies were bathed within 24 hours of delivery, butter was applied to the umbilical stump in 32 (48.7%) of the home delivered babies and only 17/85 (2.8%) “small” babies received additional care. CONCLUSION: High rate of ANC attendance and institutional delivery were observed. Practice of exclusive and on-demand breast-feeding was high and very few neonates received prelactal feeds. Most babies slept with their mothers Home delivered babies were exposed to harmful practices and small babies did not receive special care. harmful practices were Mothers should be educated during ANC follow up and after delivery on the need for special care to low birth weight/smaller babies.
Metaphor and the scientific method: Why Lacan’s perspective isn’t helpful yet

Keefer (2022) argues that theoretical commitments to conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) impede research on metaphor in psychology. To jumpstart the field, he suggests adopting Lacan’s perspective. I disagree with this argument for a few reasons. First, CMT has a much more nuanced place in current research on metaphor than it would seem from the target article. Second, the field does engage with the hypotheses enumerated by Keefer: that metaphors emerge from a complex web of associations, have unconscious influence, and reflect deep-seated motivations. I review how contemporary research has approached these questions and show how the constraints cited in Keefer’s article stem from the field’s commitments to the scientific method and the computational theory of mind, rather than CMT. Finally, contrary to how they are framed in Keefer’s article, I argue that these constraints have enabled scientific progress to date and limit the impact of Lacan’s perspective moving forward.
Horizontal Gene Transfer and Homologous Recombination Drive the Evolution of the Nitrogen-Fixing Symbionts of Medicago Species (cid:1)

Using nitrogen-ﬁxing Sinorhizobium species that interact with Medicago plants as a model system, we aimed at clarifying how sex has shaped the diversity of bacteria associated with the genus Medicago on the interspeciﬁc and intraspeciﬁc scales. To gain insights into the diversiﬁcation of these symbionts, we inferred a topology that includes the different speciﬁcity groups which interact with Medicago species, based on sequences of the nodulation gene cluster. Furthermore, 126 bacterial isolates were obtained from two soil samples, using Medicago truncatula and Medicago laciniata as host plants, to study the differentiation between populations of Sinorhizobium medicae , Sinorhizobium meliloti bv. meliloti, and S. meliloti bv. medicaginis. The former two can be associated with M. truncatula (among other species of Medicago ), whereas the last organism is the speciﬁc symbiont of M. laciniata . These bacteria were characterized using a multilocus sequence analysis of four loci, located on the chromosome and on the two megaplasmids of S. meliloti. The phylogenetic results reveal that several interspeciﬁc horizontal gene transfers occurred during the diversiﬁcation of Medicago symbionts. Within S. meliloti , the analyses show that nod genes speciﬁc to different host plants have spread to different genetic backgrounds through homologous recombination, preventing further divergence of the different ecotypes. Thus, specialization to different host plant species does not prevent the occurrence of gene ﬂow among host-speciﬁc biovars of S. meliloti , whereas reproductive isolation between S. meliloti bv. meliloti and S. medicae is maintained even though these bacteria can cooccur in sympatry on the same individual host plants.
Matrix coefficients of the large discrete series representations of Sp(2; R) as hypergeometric series of two variables

Abstract We investigate the radial part of the matrix coefficients with minimal K-types of the large discrete series representations of Sp(2; R). They satisfy certain difference-differential equations derived from Schmid operators. This system is reduced to a holonomic system of rank 4, which is finally found to be equivalent to higher-order hypergeometric series in the sense of Appell and Kampé de Fériet.
Humoral Immune Responses Arthritis in Mice: Implication of TL1A in Leads to Ameliorated Collagen-Induced TNF-like Ligand 1A (TL1A) Gene Knockout

TNF-like ligand 1A (TL1A), also known as TNFSF15, is a member of the TNF superfamily. Its known receptor is death receptor 3 (DR3). In humans, TL1A also binds to a secreted TNF family member called decoy receptor 3, which interferes with the interaction between TL1A and DR3. TL1A/DR3 signal has been implicated in several autoimmune diseases in animal models as well as in clinical conditions. We generated TL1A gene knockout (KO) mice to assess its role in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), a mouse model of human rheumatoid arthritis. The KO mice were fertile and had no visible anomalies. Their lymphoid organ size and cellularity, Tand B cell subpopulations, Th cell and regulatory T cell development in vivo and in vitro, and antiviral immune responses were comparable to those of wild-type mice. However, the KO mice presented ameliorated CIA in terms of clinical scores, disease incidence, and pathological scores. The KO mice had reduced titers of pathogenic anti-collagen Abs in the sera. No apparent defect was found in the function of follicular Th cells. We revealed that plasma cells but not B cells expressed high levels of DR3 and were direct targets of TL1A. In the presence of TL1A, they survived better and produced more pathogenic Ab. This study presented novel knowledge about the role of TL1A in humoral immune responses and its mechanism of action in CIA pathogenesis. The Journal of Immunology , 2013, 191: 000–000.
Amblyopia and Non-human Animal Research 1

This paper discusses the claim that the use of non-human animals in amblyopia research has led to our understanding and treatment of this condition. It is shown that such use was not important, that our understanding was based on human experience and that the non-human animal research actually confused the situation. the a with confirmed anisometropic amblyopia shows a decrease of cell sizes in the parvocellular innervated by the amblyopic This decrease was more in laminae receiving we conclude following a sequential management plan for treatment of anisometropic amblyopia can yield long-lasting improvement in acuity and function for of age. ” occlusion during critical period extends the critical period and does not lead to loss of visual acuity. Unilateral occlusion results in amblyopia.
Neutron scattering study of crystal fields in CeRhIn 5

Neutron scattering results for the tetragonal compound CeRhIn 5 give evidence for two crystal field (CF) excitations at 6.9 and 23.6 meV. The scattering can be fit assuming a set of CF parameters B 0 2 = - 1.03 meV, B 0 4 =0.044 meV, and B 4 4 = 0.122 meV. To compare our results with previous work, we calculate the susceptibility and specific heat for this CF scheme, including a molecular field term λ = 35 mol/emu to account for the Kondo effect. We also include a calculation based on these CF parameters, which uses the noncrossing approximation to the Anderson model to estimate the effect of Kondo physics on the susceptibility, specific heat, and neutron linewidths.