Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perceptions and Application of Task-Based Language Teaching among Primary School EFL Teachers in Spain

The perceptions and understanding of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) among Spanish primary English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers are explored in this research. TBLT is an established active communicative pedagogical approach, but teachers still face problems and refuse using TBLT in their classes. Thus, the following research opened the issue with the Spanish teachers to pave the way for a larger study that aims to discover what teachers think of TBLT and the reasons why teachers refuse or accept to implement TBLT in their teaching. The sample population in the study included 76 EFL teachers with different teaching experiences. This research adopted a quantitative approach using a questionnaire which was carefully modified from Jeon and Hahn's (2006). The results found showed participants have a high level of understanding of TBLT and are aware of its motivational advantage on learners, but they are still afraid of its implication in their classes. Recommendations for a good TBLT training were provided by teachers which may affect teachers' practices and training developers in the Spanish context.
Isotope sclerochronology indicates enhanced seasonal precipitation in northern South America (Colombia) during the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum

During the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO, 14.7–17.3 Ma), global temperatures were warmer than present, and similar to predicted temperatures for the coming century. Limited paleoclimate data exist from the tropics during this period, despite its potential as an analog for future climate conditions. This study presents new subannual stable isotope data (δ18O and δ13C) from a large population of Miocene Turritella gastropods from the Jimol and Castilletes Formations of the Guajira Peninsula, Colombia. Turritellids are aragonitic marine mollusks that live in shallow coastal waters, and their rapid growth rates allow for high-resolution subannual records. We compare these fossils to modern Turritella gastropods from multiple tropical localities to reconstruct subannual climate conditions. The seasonal range in δ18O in the modern shells correlates with the seasonal variance of local precipitation, once temperature seasonality is accounted for. The Miocene fossils show larger (in some cases >2‰) seasonal variation in δ18O than modern Turritella from the same location, suggesting increased seasonality of precipitation in Miocene northern Colombia relative to today. We propose that this increased seasonality of precipitation was due to a more northerly position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone during the mid-Miocene. The resulting wet Miocene paleoenvironment is in stark contrast to semiarid conditions on the Guajira Peninsula today, indicating that this area of tropical South America has undergone a drastic environmental change since the Miocene.
Effects of waves and currents on the siltation problem of Damietta harbour, Nile Delta coast, Egypt

This study evaluates the effect of prevailing dynamic factors on the sedimentation process in Damietta Harbour along the Nile delta coast of Egypt. The monitoring program spanned the period between 1978 and 1999 and included measurements of waves, currents and bathymetric profiles. The evaluation was based on determination of erosion and accretion rates, current regime, sediment transport, wave characteristics and wave refraction. Results revealed that the predominant wave direction from N-NW sector (86 %) throughout the year is responsible for generation of a longshore eastward current. Less frequent waves from the N-NE sector generate an opposing longshore westward current. The refraction pattern for the prevailing wave direction indicates that the harbour and its navigation channel are located within a divergence of wave orthogonal and in an accretion sediment sink area. The annual net rate of littoral drift on the western side of the harbour is about 1.43 * 105 m3 (accretion), while the annual net rate of littoral drift on the eastern side is about 2.54 * 105 m3 (erosion). Currents fluctuate tremendously in speed and direction, especially during the winter months. Hence, sediment transport takes place in offshore, eastward, and onshore directions. Progressive vector diagrams show that the largest near bottom offshore, onshore and easterly net drift occurs during summer, spring and winter respectively. The onshore sediment transport generated during spring and summer plays an important role in the redistribution of eroded sediments during the winter. The overall study of dynamic factors indicated that the harbour site is characterized by eastern, western, offshore and onshore sediment movements. Therefore, the north-south orientation of the navigation channel, with its depth greater than the surrounding area, interrupts sediment drift from different directions and reduces the current speed. Consequently, the sediments sink within the navigation channel from different directions. The sources of sediments contributing to the siltation process of the harbour and its navigation channels are mainly derived from the Rosetta promontory, Burullus beaches, Damietta promontory and from offshore and the dumping area.
Fruit Supplementation Affects Birds but not Arthropod Predation by Birds in Costa Rican Agroforestry Systems

As the global demand for the reliable provision of virtually all ecosystem services increases, it is imperative to conduct experimental research that tests specific mechanisms or drivers of the ecological processes that link to services, and whether these management actions can affect biodiversity and processes synergistically. Agroforestry systems are ideal for such experiments due to their increased uniformity and the relative ease with which factors can be manipulated and isolated. Manipulating the availability of food resources, we carried out an experimental test of this potential driver on bird diversity measures and the predatory services provided by birds in coffee agroforests. We constructed exclosures over coffee plants to measure arthropod removal intensity by birds comparing coffee agroforests with and without food resource (fruit) enrichment (the driver). Fruit enrichment agroforests had significantly greater bird species density (50%), overall abundance (55%), and abundance of understory insectivore specialists (89%) compared with control agroforests. Although 48 percent more arthropods were aspirated from coffee plants inside exclosures compared to coffee plants outside exclosures, fruit resource enrichment did not influence predatory activity by birds in the agroforests. The results of this study highlight the difficulties associated with managing lands for ecosystem services in complex ecosystems‐ management actions aimed at increasing numbers of the organisms involved in the interactions of ecological processes is not always equivalent to managing for an increase in the process itself.
Effect of Phosphorus Fertilisation on Legume Nodule Formation and Biomass Production in Mount Kenya Region

ABSTRACT The response of legumes to the application of phosphorus was tested in the upper midland 3 agro-ecological zone in a humic Nitisol at Karurina Location of Embu District in the central Kenya region. The legumes tested were Mucuna pruriens, Canavalia ensiformis, Glycine max, Crotalaria ochroleuca and Lablab purpureus. A split plot design was used in which 17 kg/ha phosphorus was applied to half of the plot and the remainder was planted without any P. Nodulation and biomass assessment were conducted at the respective flowering stages for each of the legumes tested. The results revealed that all legume species tested formed effective nodules at either the tap root or the lateral roots. Crotalaria showed the highest level of nodule formation whereas Canavalia formed one or no nodules per plant. Mucuna showed the highest level (4.13 t/ha) of biomass accumulation while Canavalia gave the lowest (0.56 t/ha) amount of biomass. Addition of phosphorus did not affect nodulation or biomass accumulation in any of the legume species tested.
Pilot Contamination Mitigation in Massive MIMO Systems-based 5G network

5G, a future descent cellular network is predictable to encourage the increasing demand for continuous rising mobile users and the egression of services like the internet of things. Enormous MIMO has been specified as a promising technology that presents important improvements in the efficiency of spectral over 4G technologies. Although, pilot contamination is the prime restricted factor while considering the TDD protocol. Several manners have been offered in literature to diminish the influence of pilot contamination in mobile systems. This paper provides an overview of the proposed a spatiotemporal approach which can mitigate the effect of pilot contamination by avoiding time-domain transmitting synchronous pilot and then a pilot allocation algorithm in the spatial domain. The proposed scenario provides a reduced level of intercell interference, which eventually gives it the ability to enhance the minimum and the mean achievable strength per terminal.
Qualidade sanitária de grãos de milho com e sem inoculação a campo dos fungos causadores de podridões de espigaspiga

O uso sucessivo de hibridos de milho com resistencia variada aos fungos causadores de podridao de graos tem causado aumento na importância dessas doencas a cada safra. Conduziu-se este trabalho com o objetivo de avaliar pelo teste de sanidade (blotter test) a severidade do fungo Fusarium verticilioides e a incidencia dos fungos Stenocarpella maydis e Stenocarpella macrospora em graos de milho, oriundos de hibridos comerciais, com e sem a inoculacao artificial a campo, em dois sistemas de cultivo, convencional e sistema de semeadura direta e em dois anos agricolas. O experimento foi conduzido a campo, em blocos casualizados, com tres repeticoes. Em laboratorio, foram avaliadas, pelo metodo de "blotter test", a severidade do fungo F. verticilioides e a incidencia dos fungos S. maydis e S. macrospora causadores de podridoes de espiga. A avaliacao pelo teste de sanidade (blotter test) evidenciou a diferenca entre os hibridos quanto a reacao aos fungos F.verticilioides, S. maydis e S. macrospora. Houve influencia do hibrido, da safra agricola e do sistema de cultivo sobre a infeccao dos fungos causadores de podridoes de espigas, sendo que o sistema plantio direto favorece o aumento dos fungos responsaveis pelos graos ardidos em milho. A utilizacao da inoculacao artificial, em campo, visando a selecionar genotipos resistentes aos fungos causadores do "complexo de graos ardidos" e eficiente.
Revisiting the democratic implications of political discussion disagreement: With whom one disagrees matters

ABSTRACT An online survey was conducted to explore the political consequences of Facebook political discussion disagreement. It found that within-party disagreement was positively associated with awareness of rationales for oppositional views, political tolerance, and lateness of voting decision but was negatively related to political participation (indicated by voting behavior and Facebook political participation). Between-party disagreement, however, was negatively associated with lateness of voting decision but positively related to political participation. The divergent relationships of discussion disagreement with lateness of voting decision and voting behavior were explained by ambivalent political views. These findings shed light on the democratic implications of discussion disagreement.
Comparison of Statistical and Machine Learning Models for Pipe Failure Modeling in Water Distribution Networks

The application of statistical and Machine Learning models plays a critical role in planning and decision support processes for efficient and reliable Water Distribution Network (WDN) management. Failure models can provide valuable information for prioritizing system rehabilitation even in data scarcity scenarios, such as developing countries. Few studies have analyzed the performance of more than two models, and examples of case studies in developing countries are insufficient. This study compares various statistical and Machine Learning models to provide useful information to practitioners for the selection of a suitable pipe failure model according to information availability and network characteristics. Three statistical models (i.e., Linear, Poisson, and Evolutionary Polynomial Regressions) were used for failure prediction in groups of pipes. Machine Learning approaches, particularly Gradient-Boosted Tree (GBT), Bayes, Support Vector Machines and Artificial Neuronal Networks (ANNs), were compared in predicting individual pipe failure rates. The proposed approach was applied to a WDN in Bogotá (Colombia). The statistical models showed an acceptable performance (R2 between 0.695 and 0.927), but the Poisson Regression was the most suitable for predicting failures in pipes with lower failure rates. Regarding Machine Learning models, Bayes and ANNs exhibited low performance in the prediction of pipe failure condition. The GBT approach had the best performing classifier.
Effect of Supplementation of Lysine and Methionine on Growth Performance, Nutrients Digestibility and Serum Biochemical Indices for Growing Sika Deer (Cervus Nippon) Fed Protein Deficient Diet

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementation of lysine (Lys) and methionine (Met) on growth performance, nutrients digestibility and serum biochemical indices for growing sika deer fed crude protein (CP) deficient diet. Sixteen 5-month-old growing male sika deer were randomly assigned to 4 groups receiving diets (n=4): i) CP-adequate (16.63%) diet; ii) CP-deficient (13.77%) diet with 3 g/kg Lys; iii) CP-deficient with 3 g/kg Lys and 1 g/kg Met; iv) CP-deficient diet with 3 g/kg Lys and 2 g/kg Met. The digestibility of dry matter P<0.01), organic matter (P<0.01), CP (P<0.01), serum albumin (P<0.01), and total protein (P<0.01) concentrations of groups receiving CP-adequate or Met supplementation were improved. The average daily gain (P=0.10), gain to feed ratio (P=0.07), the digestibility of acid (P=0.07) and neutral detergent fibre (P=0.09), and the serum globulin (P=0.08) concentrations had a tendency to increase as the Met or CP level increased. Meanwhile, blood urea nitrogen (P<0.01) and alanine aminotransferase (P<0.01) were decreased for CP-deficient, but no response to Met-added diets; aspartate aminotransferase (P=0.04) depressed for both CP-deficient and Met-added diets. Therefore, amino acids added to CP-deficient diets show high efficiency: they remain among the simplest ways for growth performance, while cutting down environmental waste and economic consumption.
What happens when the going gets tough? Linking change scepticism, organizational identification, and turnover intentions

ABSTRACT In times of increasingly turbulent public sector change and frequent career shifts, the relationship between attitudes towards workplace change, organizational identification and turnover intent are highly relevant, but poorly understood. Using data from the Australian Public Service’s (APS) employee survey, this article examines the psychological mechanisms that lead employees to consider leaving their own organization, and the APS as a whole. The combined effect of sceptically perceived workplace change and strong organizational identification leads to an increase in turnover intentions at the organizational level, which testifies to the potentially destructive effect of workplace changes.
Using hosts of mixed sizes to reduce male‐biased sex ratio in the parasitoid wasp, Diglyphus isaea

Overproduction of males in mass rearing of parasitic Hymenoptera contributes to higher costs for biological control because only females directly kill pests. We present a technique, based on manipulating host composition, to generate less male‐biased sex ratios in parasitoid species that adjust their sex allocation in response to relative host size. Our system consisted of chrysanthemum, Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev var. ‘Miramar’; a leafminer, Liriomyza langei Frick (Diptera: Agromyzidae); and a commercially available parasitoid, Diglyphus isaea (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). We compared the offspring sex ratios of D. isaea females presented with different compositions of L. langei larvae on chrysanthemum. Presenting individual females with only large hosts increased mean sex ratio from 32 to 67% male over 2 days. However, presenting individual females with progressively larger hosts over 1 or 2 days reduced mean sex ratio from 90 to 100% male to less than 30% male. Groups of females produced sex ratios around 58% male if presented with both plants infested by only small hosts and plants infested by only large hosts. In comparison, groups of females produced sex ratios around 48% male if presented with plants infested by both small hosts and large hosts. We compared the use of both small hosts and large hosts to only large hosts for simulated mass rearing of wasps over 8 weeks. Using both small hosts and large hosts produced similar numbers of wasps as using only large hosts, but reduced mean sex ratio of weekly cohorts from 66% male to 56% male. The two techniques produced females of similar size, but using both large hosts and small hosts produced slightly smaller males than using only large hosts. The use of both small hosts and large hosts for mass rearing of D. isaea could reduce actual costs of females by 23%.
The use of disturbed and undisturbed forest by masked titi monkeys Callicebus personatus melanochir is proportional to food availability

The masked titi Callicebus personatus melanochir is a threatened primate, endemic to the Atlantic rainforest of eastern Brazil. The Atlantic rainforest has been reduced to only 5% of its former extent, and only 2% consists of undisturbed forest. The survival of the masked titi monkey is therefore dependent on its ability to utilise disturbed forest habitat. A group of four masked titi monkeys was observed for one year in a plot that contained both disturbed and undisturbed forest. The group used a home range of 22 ha, which comprised 58% undisturbed forest, 31% selectively logged forest and 11% forest that was regrowing after a clear-cut. The titi monkeys did not use the different forest types in proportion to the availability of each within their home range: undisturbed forest was used more than expected from its proportional availability, and disturbed forest was used less than expected. Use of forest types appeared to be determined by the availability of food resources. Undisturbed forest had the most food per unit area and regrowing forest had the least. This study shows that masked titi monkeys may be able to survive in disturbed forest habitats if these areas are of high enough quality to contain sufficient food and other resources.
Indian Ocean Giant Tortoises: Their Systematics and Island Adaptations

Although wild populations are now confined to Aldabra, giant tortoises were originally present on many other Indian Ocean islands. All belong to the genus Geochelone but are referable to two distinct subgenera, Cylindraspis in the Mascarene islands and Aldabrachelys on Madagascar, Aldabra, the Seychelles and neighbouring islands. These are distinguishable by skull and nasal structure, degree of shell ankylosis and structure of the plastron. Neither group has obvious close relatives in other areas. Mascarene tortoises, which are completely extinct, comprised several species: G. vosmaeri and the smaller G. peltastes on Rodrigues, G. inepta and G. triserrata on Mauritius, and what should probably be called G. indica on Reunion. All the tortoises of Aldabra, the Seychelles and neighbouring islands seem to be referable to one species, G. gigantea which appears to have shown some geographical variation. Madagascar probably had two species, G. grandidieri and another usually named G. abrupta which may well be conspecific with G. gigantea and was possibly the source of the Aldabra populations. Many of the distinctive features of Indian Ocean and Galapagos giant tortoises are interpretable as adaptations to the peculiar environment of ocean islands, particularly their lack of big predators and competing herbivores.
Displaced Persons in North-Eastern Nigeria: Causes, Effects and the Role of Social Workers

The displacement of people within their own countries is currently a common international and national phenomenon. Migration of internally displaced persons in the north-eastern part of Nigeria is caused by internal armed conflict, particularly caused by the Boko Haram insurgency. The internally displaced people are living in highly vulnerable conditions. They suffer discriminations, faced emotional trauma, experience significant deprivation and impoverishment. The paper focuses on the role of the social workers in assisting the internally displaced persons of the northeast who are ravaged by the operation of insurgents. The present study aims at examining the causes and effects of the displacement of persons in the study area. A mixed method of data was employed. Therefore, two hypotheses and four research questions were formulated to guide the study. A total of 278 respondents was utilised for the study and stratified random sampling was used to select the respondents. In addition to that, six respondents were engaged in an interview and purposive sampling was used to select the interviewers. The instruments used in the study are self designed questionnaire tagged the Internally Displaced Persons Questionnaire (IDPQ) and the interview protocol. The questionnaire has a reliability coefficient of 0.82. The t-test at 0.05 level of significance was used in testing the null hypotheses. While thematic analyses were used for the interview. The findings of the study show that there is no significant difference in the manner of people's displacement due to Boko Haram insurgency. However, there is a significant relationship between internally displaced persons and their vulnerability. Similarly, the result revealed that injustice, security lapses, weak and inefficient governance, illiteracy as well as unemployment are the causes of the displacement. Consequently, the effects of the displacement include lack of peace and stability, family disintegration, alienation, loss of economic opportunities, breakdown of cultural identity, loosening of social and family structure, interruption of children's schooling and increased poverty.
Fatty Acid Composition of Meat from Rabbits Fed Diets with High Levels of Fat

The effects of high levels of dietary fat on the chemical and fatty acid composition of total, nonpolar, and polar lipids of rabbit meat have been studied. Four diets were used: control diet without added fat and three diets containing 3% (w/w) beef tallow, 3% soya and sunflower oleins, or 3% soya-bean oil. In order to increase dietary ether extract by 3%, these three experimental diets also contained 18% of heated whole soya-bean meal. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in the rabbit meat chemical composition were observed only between meat from rabbits fed control diet and rabbits fed the soya-bean oil plus whole soya-bean meal diet. However, the diet did influence total, nonpolar, and polar lipid fatty acid composition of the meat; C-18:1 and polyunsaturated fatty acids were the most affected. It was concluded that the enrichment of the rabbit diet with these specific fats produces rabbit meat with a higher degree of unsaturation than those obtained with conventional diets.
Renal sympathetic denervation attenuates congestive heart failure in angiotensin II‐dependent hypertension: studies with Ren‐2 transgenic hypertensive rats with aorto‐caval fistula

We hypothesized that renal denervation (RDN) attenuates the progression of aorto‐caval fistula (ACF)‐induced heart failure (HF) and the development of renal dysfunction in Ren‐2 transgenic rats (TGR), a model of ANG II‐dependent hypertension.