Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COMPETENCIES AND CHALLENGES OF DEPED TEACHERS IN THE K TO 12 SCIENCE CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

-----------------------------------ABSTRACT----------------------------------Curriculum reforms are implemented in various countries to improve their educational system. This article presents the teaching competencies, needs and challenges encountered by the Department of Education (DepEd) Science teachers in Partido District, Camarines Sur, Philippines along with the implementation of the K to 12 Science curriculum. It employed the descriptive method of research and administered the researcher-made instrument to 49 DepEd Science teachers. The majority of the teachers rated themselves with very high competencies in Earth Science and Biology and high competencies in Chemistry and Physics, however some expressed need to further deepen their understanding in some concepts such as Light and Electricity, Circular Motion, Projectile Motion, Conservation of Linear Momentum, and Concentration of Solutions. Teachers attain proficiency of a more complex competency if they acquire proficiency of preceding competencies. The availability of instructional materials and the “concept of experience” help teachers have a better grasp of science concepts. Continued support from the government and other stakeholders is needed to address the perennial problems/challenges that DepEd teachers encountered.
Unequal Opportunity Spreaders: Higher COVID-19 Deaths with Later School Closure in the United States

Mixed evidence on the relationship between school closure and COVID-19 prevalence could reflect focus on large-scale levels of geography, limited ability to address endogeneity, and demographic variation. Using county-level Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 data through June 15, 2020, two matching strategies address potential heterogeneity: nearest geographic neighbor and propensity scores. Within nearest neighboring pairs in different states with different school closure timing, each additional day from a county’s first case until state-ordered school closure is related to 1.5 to 2.4 percent higher cumulative COVID-19 deaths per capita (1,227–1,972 deaths for a county with median population and deaths/capita). Results are consistent using propensity score matching, COVID-19 data from two alternative sources, and additional sensitivity analyses. School closure is more strongly related to COVID-19 deaths in counties with a high concentration of Black or poor residents, suggesting schools play an unequal role in transmission and earlier school closure is related to fewer lives lost in disadvantaged counties.
Thermal Stability of Zinc Compounds

Zn and Cl have been found in deposits in municipal solid waste (MSW) boilers and industrial boilers. This leads to the general belief that ZnCl2 may play a role in corrosion of heat-transfer tubes, owing to its low melting temperature and high corrosivity. In this study, the thermal stability of the compounds ZnCl2, ZnSO4, and ZnO as well as mixtures of ZnCl2 and NaCl/KCl was investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC). The reactions of the Zn compounds with SO2/SO3 and HCl were also investigated. The results obtained show that ZnCl2 melts at 320 °C. Above 400 °C, ZnCl2 vaporizes and is partly oxidized to ZnO. ZnSO4 is stable up to 680 °C, at which it decomposes and, subsequently, forms ZnO above 900 °C. ZnO is stable at a much higher temperatures but can be chlorinated to ZnCl2 in the presence of HCl at temperatures around 300 °C. In the presence of a large amount of NaCl/KCl, which is typically the case in actual boilers, ZnCl2 reacts with NaCl/KCl to .
New Trends in the Utilization of Intravenous Fluids

Intravenous fluids (IVFs) are the most commonly used drugs in hospitalized patients. Knowledge of the indications and pharmacokinetics of IVFs is critical for all medical disciplines. Isotonic saline (normal saline, 0.9% NS) is the most utilized intravenous solution. Isotonic saline effectively expands the intravascular compartment, as one-quarter of the infusate goes intravascularly, while the remaining three-quarters go into the interstitial space. The proper use of IVFs in different clinical scenarios is paramount. IVFs differ with regard to their half-life, intravascular volume expansion, preparation, and cost. Crystalloids are more commonly utilized due to their relatively low cost and availability. Colloids are very advantageous in cases of shock or hemorrhage, as they remain in the intravascular space, thus facilitating an increase in blood pressure (BP) prior to blood administration. Colloids are also advantageous in cases of burns and severe hypoglobulinemia. Human albumin (5%, 20%, and 25%) is the most used colloid solution. It remains intravascularly provided and there is no capillary leak as in systematic inflammation. The goal in hospitalized patients is timely and adequate intravenous fluid resuscitation. Utilization of a large volume of isotonic saline may lead to hypervolemia, hypernatremia, hyperchloremia, metabolic acidosis, and hypokalemia. The use of balanced intravenous solutions has been advocated to avoid these complications.
Combined accuracy of optic nerve sheath diameter, strain ratio, and shear wave elastography of the optic nerve in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Purpose This study assessed the combined accuracy of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), strain ratio (SR), and shear wave elastography (SWE) of the optic nerve (ON) in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Methods This prospective study was carried out on both ONs of 34 consecutive patients diagnosed with IIH and 16 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. All of the study participants were women. The ONSD, SR, and SWE of the ON were measured. The severity of papilledema of IIH patients was sub-classified into mild papilledema and moderate/severe papilledema. Results The mean ONSD (5.6±1.1 mm), SR (0.7±0.1), and SWE (30.1±16.7 kPa) of the IIH patients were significantly different (P=0.001) from the ONSD (4.1±0.5 mm), SR (0.9±0.1), and SWE (8.2±3.4 kPa) of controls. The cutoff values of ONSD, SR, and SWE of the ON for differentiating IIH patients from controls were 5.45 mm, 0.8, and 10.3 kPa with areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.91, 0.86, and 0.96 and accuracy values of 91%, 81%, and 93%, respectively. Combined SWE and ONSD and combined SWE, ONSD, and SR for differentiating IIH patients from controls revealed AUCs of 0.98 and 0.99 and accuracy values of 96% and 96%, respectively. ONSD, SR, and SWE showed significant differences between mild and moderate/severe papilledema (P=0.001). Papilledema was correlated with SWE (r=0.8, P=0.001), ONSD (r=0.4, P=0.001), and SR (r=-0.4, P=0.001). Conclusion The combination of ONSD, SR, and SWE may be helpful for diagnosing IIH, and a good indicator of the degree of papilledema.
Exogenous application of salicylic acid to control coffee rust

The exogenous application of salicylic acid can induce plant resistance against pathogens. However, little is known about the potential uses of this bioregulator for controlling coffee diseases. In this study, we assessed the effect of applying salicylic acid (SA – 150 mg L-1) on the management of coffee rust (Hemileia vastatrix) in a 7-year-old coffee plantation with low crop load (651.6 kg ha-1 in 2017). For comparison, plants were sprayed with protectant fungicide (copper hydroxide – CH) and standard fungicides (SF) used by local farmers (boscalid, pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole, and copper hydroxide). Non-treated plants were included as a negative control. Five monthly applications were performed from November 2016 to March 2017. Rust incidence and severity, defoliation, and growth of plagiotropic branches were evaluated monthly. The activity of catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total proteins was assessed one day after the first, third, and fifth product applications. Compared to untreated plants, SA reduced the severity and incidence of rust from 36.3 to 54.7%, while CH and SF reduced disease from 31.8 to 54.6% and from 83.8 to 88%, respectively. SA reduced defoliation by 54.1%. SA increased the concentration of CAT, APX, and SOD after the first application. However, this effect was not observed after subsequent applications. Foliar application of SA reduces the severity and incidence of coffee rust and defoliation in plants with a low crop load.
Restoration of Seagrass Meadows in the Mediterranean Sea: A Critical Review of Effectiveness and Ethical Issues

Some species of seagrasses (e.g., Zostera marina and Posidonia oceanica) have declined in the Mediterranean, at least locally. Others are progressing, helped by sea warming, such as Cymodocea nodosa and the non-native Halophila stipulacea. The decline of one seagrass can favor another seagrass. All in all, the decline of seagrasses could be less extensive and less general than claimed by some authors. Natural recolonization (cuttings and seedlings) has been more rapid and more widespread than was thought in the 20th century; however, it is sometimes insufficient, which justifies transplanting operations. Many techniques have been proposed to restore Mediterranean seagrass meadows. However, setting aside the short-term failure or half-success of experimental operations, long-term monitoring has usually been lacking, suggesting that possible failures were considered not worthy of a scientific paper. Many transplanting operations (e.g., P. oceanica) have been carried out at sites where the species had never previously been present. Replacing the natural ecosystem (e.g., sandy bottoms, sublittoral reefs) with P. oceanica is obviously inappropriate in most cases. This presupposes ignorance of the fact that the diversity of ecosystems is one of the bases of the biodiversity concept. In order to prevent the possibility of seagrass transplanting from being misused as a pretext for further destruction, a guide for the proper conduct of transplanting is proposed.
Sustainability of Organizations: The Contribution of Personal Values to Democratic Leadership Behavior Focused on the Sustainability of Organizations

The main purpose of this study was to examine the influence of leaders’ personal values on their democratic behavior from a sustainability perspective. We specified and tested the research model, drawing upon modified versions of the theory of basic values and the autocratic–democratic leadership continuum. A total of 208 Slovenian and 196 Austrian leaders’ responses were used in hierarchical regression and structural equation modeling analysis. The results reveal a significant and positive influence of collectivistic values in both samples on democratic leadership behavior. A significant and negative effect of individualistic values on democratic leadership behavior is present in Austria, while in Slovenia, the effect is positive but not significant. Based on acknowledged associations between leader’s values, leaders’ democratic leadership behavior, and sustainable development, we argue that democratic leadership behavior contributes to the sustainable working and behavior of organizations. These results have theoretical implications, indicating how personal values affect leaders’ democratic behavior and contribute to the sustainable working and behavior of organizations. The practical implications relate to the strengthening of leaders’ democratic behavior in Slovenian and Austrian organizations. In addition, these findings will be helpful in increasing the sustainability of organizations via fostering democratic leadership behavior and its underlying personal values.
Openness to change and conservation in value-laden decisions

Orientation: Values influence decision-making in organisations; however, it is not yet clear how values of openness to change and conservation determine decision quality when managers are faced by competing values.Research purpose: The research examines the relationships between managerial values of openness to change and conservation and cognitive decision quality.Motivation for research: We argue that values influence cognitive decision-making quality.Research approach/design and method: The quantitative research design made use of the portrait value questionnaire–based values of openness to change and conservation in relation to a measure of decision-making quality based on two value clashing decision scenarios.Main findings: The results revealed that the managers’ cognitive decision-making quality was lower for those who valued tradition within the conservation value block, with some indication that self-directed thought related to better cognitive processing of decision alternatives.Contribution/value-add: The research demonstrates how the operationalised integrative complexity measure may be used as a novel decision-making quality metric. In addition, it introduces new value-sensitive decision-making scenarios. It also demonstrates that decision quality considerations in the value-driven decision-making dialogue are as important as ethical considerations. A values and quality decision-making framework gives managers an approach to higher quality decisions.Practical/managerial implications: As values are stable rules of behaviour, the results support the development of decision-making quality and values awareness for managers.
Non-binary worldviews in education

ABSTRACT In this article, I discuss the potential of developing a kind of worldview education that has the purpose of enabling teachers and students to understand how worldviews are formed. I explore how suggestions of Ann Taves can be helpful towards such an aim and pay special attention to research into self-defined ‘non-religious people. It seems their worldviews can defy the secular-religious divide and be categorised as non-binary. Taves have suggested to use worldviews as an overarching rubric, that encompasses both religious, non-religious and non-binary views, which I see as corresponding with suggestions towards worldview education in schools. It signals a need for a new language for certain parts of human activity related to meaning-making. A kind of Worldview education is already a part of school subjects in Norway, Sweden, England, Finland, Netherlands and beyond, and scholars are now exploring possibilities in this. I review some recent discussions among educationalists against the suggestions of Taves, who define worldviews in terms of Big Questions, draw upon a global meanings system theory used by psychologists, and biological and evolutionary grounding of the concepts which, according to Taves would make the worldview concept more stable than the highly contested concept of religion.
Preparation, quality standards and storage of Mathi : A traditional savoury product

Quality standards have been suggested for 'Mathi' on the basis of analysis of chemical composition of 59 samples of Mathi. Mathi varied widely in its chemical composition. The ranges of variations in respect of moisture, proteins, ether extractives, common salt and total ash have been reported. To ascertain the packaging requirements of Mathi, Equilibrium Relative Humidity (ERH) studies have been conducted. The ERH of Mathi bearing an initial moisture of 3.95% was found to be 57.48%. A standard recipe was developed to prepare laboratory samples. Frying medium played an important role in the shelf life of the product. Vanaspati was found to be better than refined oil as the products fried in it had low peroxide value.
Assessing the Ageing Impact on Fatigue Life of Asphalt Concrete

Article history Received: 11 January 2021 Accepted: 2 March 2021 Published Online: 30 March 2021 The fatigue-life of asphalt concrete is often related to environmental condition, loading condition, ageing, material composition and properties. This work investigates the influence of short and long term ageing of laboratory beam specimens, asphalt percent, and testing temperature on fatigue life of asphalt concrete wearing course. Slab samples of (30 x 40 x 6) cm have been prepared, beam specimens of (40 x 5 x 6) cm were extracted from the asphalt concrete slab samples and tested for fatigue-life under the impact of three levels of micro strain (250, 400, and [3] 750) at (5, 20, and 30) °C before and after practicing long-term aging. It was observed that the fatigue-life decreased by (85 and 97) %, (87.5 and 97.4) %, (71.4 and 95.2) % after increasing the applied microstrain from (250 to 400 and 750) μƐ for control mixture and for mixtures subjected to shortand long-term ageing processes respectively. The fatigue-life increased by (142.8 and 257.1) %, (34.4 and 57.8) % and (10 and 30) % when the asphalt content increased from (4.4 to 4.9 and 5.4) % for specimens practicing the applied microstrain of (250, 400 and 750) μƐ respectively. It can be concluded that the fatigue life increases by a range of (two to fifteen) folds when the testing temperature increases from (5 to 20 and 30)°C respectively.
Who Do You Trust? The Consequences of Partisanship and Trust for Public Responsiveness to COVID-19 Orders

Non-uniform compliance with public policy by citizens can undermine the effectiveness of government, particularly during crises. Mitigation policies intended to combat the novel coronavirus offer a real-world measure of citizen compliance, allowing us to examine the determinants of asymmetrical responsiveness. Analyzing county-level cellphone data, we leverage staggered roll-out to estimate the causal effect of stay-at-home orders on mobility using a difference-in-differences strategy. We find movement is significantly curtailed, and examination of descriptive heterogeneous effects suggests the key roles that partisanship and trust play in producing irregular compliance. We find that Republican-leaning counties comply less than Democratic-leaning ones, which we argue underlines the importance of trust in science and acceptance of large-scale government policies for compliance. However, this partisan compliance gap shrinks when directives are given by Republican leaders, suggesting citizens are more trusting of co-partisan leaders. Furthermore, we find that higher levels of social trust increase compliance; yet these gains attenuate or intensify depending upon community-level partisan sentiments. Our study provides a real-world, behavioral measure that demonstrates the influence of partisanship, social trust, and their interaction on citizen welfare. Finally, we argue that our results speak to how trust in government may impact successful containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Road User Attitudes and Their Reported Behaviours in Abuja, Nigeria

The continuous increases in the numbers of road traffic crashes (RTC) over the years, especially in developing countries, have been a source of worry. The majority of the RTC are attributed to road user behaviours exhibited by the drivers. This study sets out to investigate the road user attitudes and behaviours in Abuja, Nigeria. A total of 1526 questionnaires were distributed, of which 321 questionnaires were completed and returned. The questionnaires tried to understand four major road user behaviours, namely use of seatbelts, drink driving, use of mobile phone while driving, and use of child restraints. The results after analysing the questionnaires showed that the majority of the road users in Abuja showed high non-compliance with the use of seatbelts, either when driving or when being driven. About 64% of the respondents admitted to not using seatbelts. Results from the cross-tabulation process showed that the high non-compliance to seatbelt usage was statistically associated with young, single road users. Around one-third of Abuja road users admitted to drink driving. Road users who were married engaged in more frequent drink driving than road users who were single, and the association was statistically significant. A high percentage of Abuja road users admitted to using mobile phones while driving and 55.8% of the total respondents admitted to not using child restraints while driving. A lack of child restraints was statistically associated more with male road users than female road users. It is recommended that stricter enforcement of road safety laws should be undertaken and that the government should provide road safety agents with the right equipment (e.g., speed guns, breathalyzers) that would aid road safety agents to perform their duties effectively in order to curb the excessive bad road user behaviours in Abuja.
Evaluation of Different Coronal Sealing Materials in the Endodontically Treated Teeth: An In Vitro Study

In vitro studies have shown that rapid penetration of bacteria in the entire root canal system may occur after endodontic treatment without a coronal seal. A proper restorative technique is necessary to ensure a coronal seal and protection of the residual dental structure. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the coronal sealing ability of the most relevant clinical materials by means of dye penetration (neutral red dye, Sigma-Aldrich, Germany), through a light spectrometric device, and to establish which one of the tested dental materials possesses the best sealing ability. Forty-two extracted teeth were prepared and used for this experiment; they were sealed with 5 different cements. The flow composite had the best absorbance value with 0.00675 ± 0.00096 (mean ± standard deviation) for monoradicular samples and 0.025 ± 0.00129 for pluriradicular samples. Under the constraints of the present study, both flowable and packable composite materials can be recommended as orifice sealing materials to prevent microleakage in an endodontically treated tooth. To assess the clinical superiority of any material, further in vivo studies are required.
Mycobacterium chimaera Genomics With Regard to Epidemiological and Clinical Investigations Conducted for an Open Chest Postsurgical Mycobacterium chimaera Infection Outbreak

Abstract Background Postsurgical infections due to Mycobacterium chimaera appeared as a novel nosocomial threat in 2015, with a worldwide outbreak due to contaminated heater-cooler units used in open chest surgery. We report the results of investigations conducted in France including whole-genome sequencing comparison of patient and heater-cooler unit isolates. Methods We sought M. chimaera infection cases from 2010 onwards through national epidemiological investigations in health care facilities performing cardiopulmonary bypass, together with a survey on good practices and systematic heater-cooler unit microbial analyses. Clinical and heater-cooler unit isolates were subjected to whole-genome sequencing analyzed with regard to the reference outbreak strain Zuerich-1. Results Only 2 clinical cases were shown to be related to the outbreak, although 23% (41/175) of heater-cooler units were declared positive for M. avium complex. Specific measures to prevent infection were applied in 89% (50/56) of health care facilities, although only 14% (8/56) of them followed the manufacturer maintenance recommendations. Whole-genome sequencing comparison showed that the clinical isolates and 72% (26/36) of heater-cooler unit isolates belonged to the epidemic cluster. Within clinical isolates, 5–9 nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms were observed, among which an in vivo mutation in a putative efflux pump gene was observed in a clinical isolate obtained for 1 patient on antimicrobial treatment. Conclusions Cases of postsurgical M. chimaera infections have been declared to be rare in France, although heater-cooler units were contaminated, as in other countries. Genomic analyses confirmed the connection to the outbreak and identified specific single nucleotide polymorphisms, including 1 suggesting fitness evolution in vivo.