Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES BY TEACHERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTRES IN LUSAKA, ZAMBIA

The paper discusses formative and summative assessment practices by teachers in ECE Centres in Lusaka, Zambia. The study used a mixed methods design by utilizing a concurrent triangulation design which enabled the researchers to converge quantitative and qualitative data. In addition, the design helped to confirm and cross-validate the study findings. Qualitative data was prioritised over quantitative data. Probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used to sample one hundred and two (102) teachers, ten (10) head teachers and one hundred and twenty-five (125) parents. Questionnaires were used to gather data from teachers and parents, Focus Group Discussion Guides (FGDs) were used to interview teachers whilst Interview guides were used to interview head teachers. A Documentary Analysis Guide and an Observational Checklist were used by the researcher to obtain additional data on assessment practices by teachers from a documentary and observational point of view. Descriptive statistics were computed to analyse quantitative data whilst thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data using a framework approach of qualitative data analysis. Results revealed that the most predominantly implemented summative assessments in ECE Centres were mid-term tests and end of term tests. Teachers also used formative assessments such as homework, oral questioning, collection of samples, portfolios and interview guides. However, teachers failed to adhere to the actual norms of formative assessment such as tracking of individual children’s development, learning needs and achievements so as to adapt instruction accordingly. Consequently, the assessment results were often compromised. Finally, the study recommends that Ministry of General Education should conduct capacity building training programmes for teachers on formative and summative assessment practices in ECE to ensure effective implementation of both formative and summative assessment in ECE Centres. Article visualizations:
Cognition and obstructive sleep apnoea in Parkinson’s disease, effect of positive airway pressure therapy (COPE-PAP trial): protocol of a randomized controlled trial

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disease and is associated with cognitive dysfunction. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked with cognitive dysfunction in the general population and in PD. Treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP), can improve cognition in the general population and in patients with other neurodegenerative diseases. However, the effect of PAP therapy on cognitive function has not been well studied in PD. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This randomized controlled trial will assess the effect of 6 months of PAP therapy versus placebo on global cognitive function in PD patients with OSA and reduced baseline cognition. Secondary outcomes will include quality of life and other non-motor symptoms of PD. Exploratory outcomes will be specific domains of neurocognitive function and symptoms of REM sleep behaviour disorder. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions: </strong>PD-related cognitive dysfunction often evolves towards dementia and has substantial personal, social and healthcare costs. Few interventions have been shown to improve cognition in PD to date. If positive, results from our study could prove OSA to be a new therapeutic target relevant to cognition and would support more systematic screening for OSA in PD patients with cognitive decline. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Trial Registration:</strong> Trial registration number is NCT02209363. </p>
Special Finite Elements with Adaptive Strain Field on the Example of One-Dimensional Elements

The conception of special finite elements called multi-area elements for the analysis of structures with different stiffness areas has been presented in the paper. A new type of finite element has been determined in order to perform analyses and calculations of heterogeneous, multi-coherent, and layered structures using fewer finite elements and it provides proper accuracy of the results. The main advantage of the presented special multi-area elements is the possibility that areas of the structure with different stiffness and geometrical parameters can be described by single element integrated in subdivisions (sub-areas). The formulation of such elements has been presented with the example of one-dimensional elements. The main idea of developed elements is the assumption that the deformation field inside the element is dependent on its geometry and stiffness distribution. The deformation field can be changed and adjusted during the calculation process that is why such elements can be treated as self-adaptive. The application of the self-adaptation method on strain field should simplify the analysis of complex non-linear problems and increase their accuracy. In order to confirm the correctness of the established assumptions, comparative analyses have been carried out and potential areas of application have been indicated.
Review of individual placement and support (IPS) studies and results on health status of people with long-term mental disorder and competitive employment

Ordinary employment, from the vulnerability-stress model, is believed to trigger relapses in people with long-term mental disorders when subjected to demanding work environments. To test the accuracy of this hypothesis, different databases between 1998 and 2019 (May) were consulted, using various key words. Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) that analyzed non-vocational outcomes related to symptomatology and hospitalizations in the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) strategy with severe mental disorders were specifically reviewed. A total of 383 references were reviewed, 26 were selected and 18 were included. Of the selected studies the follow-up period is between 12 months and 24 months for the most part. Samples usually range from 100-200 participants but there are studies with larger samples, one study with over 2059 participants. The most commonly used outcome is admissions and relapses, the most commonly used being days of hospitalization. The most widely used scales were on overall functioning, GAF and to measure relapse, PANNS and BPRS. Competitive employment was found not to cause relapses or hospitalisations, and long-term employment seemed to contribute to a favourable clinical evolution, although the degree of impact on the health status has yet to be proven.
OpenForecast v2: Development and Benchmarking of the First National-Scale Operational Runoff Forecasting System in Russia

Operational national-scale hydrological forecasting systems are widely used in many countries for flood early warning systems and water management. However, this kind of system has never been implemented in Russia. OpenForecast v2—the first national-scale operational runoff forecasting system in Russia—has been developed and deployed to fill this gap. OpenForecast v2 delivers 7 day-ahead streamflow forecasts for 843 gauges across Russia. The verification study has been carried out using 244 gauges for which operational streamflow data were openly available and quality-controlled for the entire verification period (14 March–6 July 2020). The results showed that the developed system provides reliable and skillful runoff forecasts for up to one week. The benchmark testing against climatology and persistence forecasts showed that the system provides skillful predictions for most analyzed basins. OpenForecast v2 is in operational use and is openly available on the Internet.
The response of soil microbial communities to soil erodibility depends on the plant and soil properties in semiarid regions

Natural succession and afforestation are the two main restoration methods of degraded soil in semiarid and arid regions. Up to now, the soil microbial communities and their roles in soil erodibility have been unclear. Our work aimed to evaluate the effects of ecological restoration on the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities at depths of 0–20 cm and their interaction with soil erodibility. Four main restoration types, natural succession land and Pinus tabuliformis, Armeniaca sibirica, and Robinia pseudoacacia plantations were chosen. Restoration with different vegetation communities decreased the soil erodibility K‐factor (K) by 13.37–20.64%. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria were dominant bacterial phyla at all sites. The dominant fungal phyla were Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Zygomycota. However, there were obvious differences in bacterial and fungal communities among restoration types due to variations in plant and soil properties. Redundancy analysis showed that the soil microbial communities explained 67.30% of the total variance in soil erodibility. Bacterial communities mainly affect the microaggregate formation, whereas fungal communities have a greater effect on macroaggregate formation. Additionally, the structural equation modeling also suggests that vegetation characteristics, soil organic carbon, and fungal communities, and macroaggregates (> 5 mm) have positive effects on mean weight diameter. Therefore, the combination of vegetation community, soil properties, and microbial communities improves the soil structure against erosion in this area.
How does cross-functional cooperation influence organizational performance? The mediating role of management accounting systems

Abstract Interfirm cooperation and its linkage to management accounting information are vital for organizational performance. However, the literature lacks insight into how competitive advantage emerges in the context of intrafirm cooperation via the use of management accounting systems (MAS). This study evaluates whether management accounting practices translate cooperation among different organizational functions into enhanced organizational performance. Findings from survey data from 186 large firms in Vietnam show that the use of MAS fully mediates the effects of cross-functional cooperation on organizational performance. Our study adds to the limited research examining the interface between cross-functional cooperation and MAS.
Cast apart by the elites: how status influences assortative matching in industrial clusters

ABSTRACT In this article we investigate how status considerations influence inter-firm knowledge transfer in industrial clusters. Using evidence of a highly dynamic wine cluster and network analysis methods of Stochastic Actor-Oriented Modelling, we find that status considerations drive assortative matching in the formation of ties within a cluster. This means that low-status firms are cast from the ‘circles that count’, while high-status firms are likely to interact with similar others. Far from being an equal space of knowledge sharing, some clusters may instead be spaces of social hierarchies and elitist ties.
Survey of the Influence of Students With Special Needs for the Achievement of Learning Volunteer Student Volunteers Lambung Mangkurat Banjarmasin

This study aims to determine whether the mentoring process for students with special needs at Lambung Mangkurat University has an effect on student achievement or volunteer learning outcomes in the learning process in class. This study involved 50 volunteers, who accompanied students with special needs, from various types of obstacles. Data collected through interviews, questionnaires and documentation. Data analysis using correlational techniques. The results showed that, volunteer companion students with visual, hearing, physical and behavioral barriers did not affect their learning achievement. While volunteers who accompany students with mental disabilities affect their achievement or learning outcomes.
Do Investors and Analysts Value Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures? Evidence from China

This paper examines whether strategic corporate social responsibility (SCSR) disclosures are value-relevant for investors and analysts in the context of China. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms from One Belt One Road (OBOR) theme indices, we construct a rating system of SCSR disclosures including five dimensions and twenty indicators and perform a principal component analysis and a non-hierarchical cluster analysis to group sample firms. We find that the market has a positive reaction to SCSR disclosures but the market fails to perceive whether such disclosures are credible. We also find that the number of analysts following a firm is positively associated with its SCSR disclosures and the positive association between SCSR disclosures and analysts following is less pronounced for firms with lower credibility. Additional analyses demonstrate that the higher SCSR disclosure quality the more positive market reaction, and that the higher SCSR disclosure quality the more numbers of analysts following but this positive association between disclosure quality and analysts following is discounted by a firm’s lower credibility. Additional analyses further confirm that the SCSR disclosure mandate has a negative moderating effect on investors’ and analysts’ positive reactions to SCSR disclosures. We do not find convincing evidence that the ownership of foreign institutional investors (QFII) affects investors’ and analysts’ reactions to SCSR disclosures. Finally, our extended analyses reveal that SCSR disclosures have a positive effect on firm performance, which seems to be a plausible reason for investors’ and analysts’ positive reactions to SCSR disclosures.
A general environmentally friendly access to long chain fatty acid ionic liquids (LCFA-ILs)

The development of bio-based ionic liquids (ILs) has attracted a great deal of interest in recent years. The so called long chain fatty acid ionic liquids (LCFA-ILs) represent a bio-based subfamily of hydrophobic ionic liquids. Here, a new preparation of the three major classes of LCFA-ILs (phosphonium, ammonium, imidazolium) is presented with the aim to overcome previous environmental synthetic issues. The undeniable interesting properties and potential applications of the LCFA-ILs often led to the underestimation of the drawbacks related to their synthetic pathways. Pure LCFA-ILs as well as cheaper mixture of LCFA-ILs have been obtained in a single step, in almost quantitative yields, and without production of waste water. The rheological and thermal stability properties of the prepared ILs have been analyzed.
Pedagogical models for tambaqui creation (Colossoma macropomum) in diverse environments

The project "Technology transfer through training and technical assistance for tambaqui breeders (Colossoma macropomum) in the Marajó/PA archipelago is characterized by the opportunity for training, dissemination of technologies, quality academic professional training to students and others involved. For this, the municipality of Curralinho was the stage of extensionist actions realized by Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará (IFPA), Campus Breves. Active methodologies were used through the participation of teachers, fish farmers and students in the construction of pedagogical models. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the use of different models for tambaqui creation. Three models were produced with perspective of implantation in different environments for the region of Marajó: floodplain area, dry land area and field area. A total of 13 fish farmers participated in this action, with whom the power of fixation attention, the understanding, the reflection and the sufficiency of time for each type of model built was evaluated. The Likert scale was used to analyze the data. The results showed that fish farming in floodplain areas presented the highest rates in the parameters studied, while the dry land area and field area models were less interesting in the opinions of the participants. In conclusion, Research, Society and Development, v. 10, n. 1, e011011087, 2021 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.33448/rsd-v10i1.10187 2 the use of active methodologies through models improved the learning process of the fish farmers during the educational actions of the extension project in aquaculture.
Improved treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis with sodium pentaborate pentahydrate (NaB)

Aim: Chlorhexidine (CHX) and benzydamine hydrochloride (B-HCl) combination treatment (KlorobenTM spray) was compared with sodium pentaborate pentahydrate (NaB, also called boron) treatment with regard to their effects in the recovery of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). Materials and Methods: We assessed the treatment results by evaluating ulcer radius and VAS results. Seventy-one patients with clinically diagnosed minor RAS were selected for the study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Group 1 was treated with a 3% solution of NaB and group 2 was treated with Kloroben spray (45 mg benzydamine HCl and 36 mg chlorhexidine gluconate) for 1 week. Results: After the treatments, there were statistically significant decreases in VAS scores in both Group 1 (p<0.001) and Group 2 (p<0.001). We found that the decrease in VAS score was greater in Group 1 than in Group 2 (p<0.001). Similarly, there were statistically significant decreases in ulcer diameters for both groups. The ulcer diameter reduction was also greater in Group 1 than Group 2 (p<0.001). Conclusions: When the specifications of NaB and studies that report its effects are considered, it may be concluded that NaB works well in the healing process of oral aphthae. Our findings show that NaB is better than CHX for the treatment of RAS, which is demonstrated by greater reduction of ulcer diameter and pain score in the NaB group.
Comparing knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding COVID-19 amongst Cameroonians living in urban versus rural areas

Introduction adherence to preventive measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 depends on the people´s knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards COVID-19. Living in rural areas may be associated with poor KAP towards COVID-19. This study compares the KAP regarding COVID-19 of people living in rural and urban areas in Cameroon. Methods this was a comparative cross-sectional study, using data obtained through an online survey of 1,345 Cameroonians amongst which were 828 urban and 517 rural dwellers. The survey questionnaire consisted of; demographic characteristics, 10 questions on Knowledge, 4 on attitudes and 3 on practices. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results overall, about two-thirds of participants had correct knowledge of COVID-19. The mean knowledge score for urban dwellers was about twice that of rural dwellers (15.77 ± 5.25 vs 8.86 ± 7.24 respectively, p < 0.001). Furthermore, when compared to people who live in urban areas, rural inhabitants are less optimistic about COVID-19 pandemic in Cameroon (OR = 3.43, P<0.001), less likely to accept a trial vaccine for COVID-19 (OR = 1.14, P<0.05), less likely to avoid going to crowded places (OR = 7.42, P<0.01), less likely to wear face mask outdoor (OR = 11.84, P<0,001), and less likely to practice hand hygiene (OR = 1.13, P<0.05). Conclusion our findings suggest a big gap in COVID-19 related knowledge, attitudes, and practices between rural and urban inhabitants in Cameroon. This highlights the need for increase sensitization of Cameroonians, especially rural dwellers on COVID-19 related knowledge, attitudes and appropriate practices.
A Mixed-Integer Convex Model for the Optimal Placement and Sizing of Distributed Generators in Power Distribution Networks

The optimal placement and sizing of distributed generators is a classical problem in power distribution networks that is usually solved using heuristic algorithms due to its high complexity. This paper proposes a different approach based on a mixed-integer second-order cone programming (MI-SOCP) model that ensures the global optimum of the relaxed optimization model. Second-order cone programming (SOCP) has demonstrated to be an efficient alternative to cope with the non-convexity of the power flow equations in power distribution networks. Of relatively new interest to the power systems community is the extension to MI-SOCP models. The proposed model is an approximation. However, numerical validations in the IEEE 33-bus and IEEE 69-bus test systems for unity and variable power factor confirm that the proposed MI-SOCP finds the best solutions reported in the literature. Being an exact technique, the proposed model allows minimum processing times and zero standard deviation, i.e., the same optimum is guaranteed at each time that the MI-SOCP model is solved (a significant advantage in comparison to metaheuristics). Additionally, load and photovoltaic generation curves for the IEEE 69-node test system are included to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed MI-SOCP to solve the problem of the optimal location and sizing of renewable generators using the multi-period optimal power flow formulation. Therefore, the proposed MI-SOCP also guarantees the global optimum finding, in contrast to local solutions achieved with mixed-integer nonlinear programming solvers available in the GAMS optimization software. All the simulations were carried out via MATLAB software with the CVX package and Gurobi solver.
Biodiesel and green diesel generation: an overview

First, second, third, and fourth-generation biofuels are continuously evolving as a promising substitute to petrodiesel catalyzed by energy depletion, economic and environmental considerations. Bio-diesel can be synthesized from various biomass sources, which are commonly divided into FAME and renewable biodiesel. FAME biodiesel is generally produced by the transesterification of vegetable oils and fats while renewable diesel is produced by hydro-deoxygenation of vegetable and waste oils and fats. The different generation, processing technologies and standards for FAME and renewable biodiesel are reviewed. Finally, the life cycle analysis and production cost of conventional and renewable biodiesel are described.
Prosodic prominence effects in the processing of spectral cues

ABSTRACT Two experiments test how phrasal prominence influences listeners' perception of vowel contrasts and how prominence information and vowel formant cues are integrated in processing. Experiment 1 finds that listeners incorporate phrasal prominence in their perception of vowels, in line with how spectral structure is modulated by prominence in speech. Experiment 2 explores how prominence information is integrated with formant cues in a visual world eyetracking task. Prominence shows an overall later influence in processing in line with current models of prosodic and segmental integration. However, listeners' perception of formants was also impacted more subtly by prominence immediately in processing such that prominence information directly shapes how formant cues are perceived. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for models of prosodic effects in segmental perception and possible differences between prosodic prominence and prosodic boundaries in this regard.