Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ICT Competence and Science Teachers’ Instructional Effectiveness in Northern Cross River State, Nigeria

: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competence on science teachers’ classroom instructional effectiveness using teachers in secondary schools in Northern Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve research objectives, three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A random sample of 193 science teachers was selected using the multistage sampling technique from a total of 371 science teachers in public and private secondary schools in the area. Two well validated rating scales, the ICT Competence Inventory (ICI) with a reliability co-efficient of 0.91 and the Classroom Instructional Effectiveness Scale (CIES) with a Cronbach co-efficient of 0.84, were used to obtained data. The data were subjected to t-test analysis using the SPSS version 23.0. The results of the study revealed that the level of ICT competence among the science teachers was significantly below the expected minimum competency level. Majority of the teachers were not competent in ICT. Male science teachers were significantly higher in their mean ICT competence than their female counterparts while science teachers, who are ICT competent, were significantly more effective in their classroom instructional effectiveness than those who were not ICT competent. It was recommended amongst others that school proprietors, government and non-governmental organizations should initiate practical and realistic programmes towards the training of science teachers on ICT while special preference should be given to the female science teachers during such trainings as this will ultimately enhance their instructional effectiveness.
A Poultry Litter-Derived Organomineral Phosphate Fertilizer Has Higher Agronomic Effectiveness Than Conventional Phosphate Fertilizer Applied to Field-Grown Maize and Soybean

Inadequate disposal of poultry litter (PL) may promote eutrophication of water bodies due to its high nutrient content, including phosphorus (P). Thus, recycling P from PL to produce organomineral fertilizer (OMF), reduces the dependence on finite mineral P reserves, and also reduces P losses from soil. In this context, a field experiment was carried out to assess the agronomic effectiveness of a granular PL-derived OMF applied to maize and soybean in a highly weathered tropical soil. OMF was compared to single superphosphate (SSP) at five P rates between 0 and 70 kg ha−1. The shoot dry weight (SDW) and grain yields of soybean and maize were affected by P rates; however, no difference between OMF and SSP was found. A similar trend was observed for soil P and P uptake. The leaf P content and soil pH were not affected by either P sources or P rates. Although there was no difference between OMF and SSP on the crop yields, OMF had the highest relative agronomic effectiveness based on the SDW. These results show that the production of granular OMF from PL is a viable alternative to conventional P fertilizers and reduces the dependence of mineral P reserves.
High School Students’ Reasons for disliking Mathematics: The Intersection Between Teacher’s Role and Student’s Emotions, Belief and Self-efficacy

Students Reasons Mathematics: The Intersection Between Teacher ’ s Role and Student ’ s ABSTRACT The study presented here depicts the reasons for high school students to have a negative attitude toward mathematics. The students were asked to rate mathematics in comparison to other subjects like history, physics, or computer science. In addition, they were asked about their attitude, beliefs, and motivations toward mathematics. To this end a convergent parallel mixed-method approach was implemented using a questionnaire that combines open-ended, closed-ended (e.g., forced ranking scale, or multiple and single responses), and liker-scale items. One of the main reasons for student ’ s reluctancy toward mathematics is their lack of understanding and self-perception of low content knowledge, which let them to have a negative perception. Students stated that their negative perception was not new, but instead something they knew since elementary.
Ethanol Extraction of Polar Lipids from Nannochloropsis oceanica for Food, Feed, and Biotechnology Applications Evaluated Using Lipidomic Approaches

Nannochloropsis oceanica can accumulate lipids and is a good source of polar lipids, which are emerging as new value-added compounds with high commercial value for the food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries. Some applications may limit the extraction solvents, such as food applications that require safe food-grade solvents, such as ethanol. However, the effect of using ethanol as an extraction solvent on the quality of the extracted polar lipidome, compared to other more traditional methods, is not yet well established. In this study, the polar lipid profile of N. oceanica extracts was obtained using different solvents, including chloroform/methanol (CM), dichloromethane/methanol (DM), dichloromethane/ethanol (DE), and ethanol (E), and evaluated by modern lipidomic methods using LC-MS/MS. Ultrasonic bath (E + USB)- and ultrasonic probe (E + USP)-assisted methodologies were implemented to increase the lipid extraction yields using ethanol. The polar lipid signature and antioxidant activity of DM, E + USB, and E + USP resemble conventional CM, demonstrating a similar extraction efficiency, while the DE and ethanol extracts were significantly different. Our results showed the impact of different extraction solvents in the polar lipid composition of the final extracts and demonstrated the feasibility of E + USB and E + USP as safe and food-grade sources of polar lipids, with the potential for high-added-value biotechnological applications.
Resident Perceptions of Mosquito Problems Are More Influenced by Landscape Factors than Mosquito Abundance

Mosquitoes and the pathogens they carry are increasingly common in urban areas throughout the globe. With urban landscapes, the need to manage mosquitoes is driven by the health risks and nuisance complaints associated with mosquitoes. Controlling the number of mosquitoes may reduce the overall risk of disease transmission but may not reduce nuisance complaints. This study focuses on Maricopa County in Arizona, USA, to investigate the relationship between mosquito abundance and landscape-level and sociodemographic factors on resident perceptions of mosquitoes. We used boosted regression trees to compare how mosquito abundance, collected from Maricopa Vector Control, and landscape factors and social factors, assessed through the Phoenix Area Social Survey, influence survey respondents’ reporting of mosquitoes as a problem. Results show that the landscape and sociodemographic features play a prominent role in how individuals perceive mosquitoes as a problem; specifically, respondents’ perception of their local landscape as messy and the distance to landscape features such as wetlands have more substantial roles in shaping perceptions. This work can highlight how potential mosquito and non-mosquito-related communications and management efforts may improve residents’ satisfaction with mosquito control or other wildlife management efforts, which can help inform best practices for vector control agencies.
Holiday Rentals in Cultural Tourism Destinations: A Comparison of Booking.com-Based Daily Rate Estimation for Seville and Porto

Multiple variables determine holiday rentals’ price composition in cultural tourism destinations. This study sought, first, to test a model including the variables with the greatest impact on tourism accommodations’ prices in these destinations and, second, to demonstrate the proposed model’s applicability to cultural city destinations by identifying the adaptations needed to apply it to different contexts. Two cities were selected for the model application—Seville in Spain and Porto in Portugal—both of which are located in different countries and are well-known cultural tourism destinations. The data were extracted from Booking.com because this accommodations platform has adapted its offer to the sharing economy, becoming one of the most important players in the market, and because research on holiday rentals using data from Booking.com is scarce. The results show that the variables used are relevant and highlight the adaptations necessary for specific cultural tourism destinations, thereby indicating that the model can be applied to all cultural tourism destinations. The proposed approach can help holiday rental managers select the correct tools for determining their accommodation units’ daily rates according to their product and marketing context’s characteristics.
Imaging Techniques for Detecting Prokaryotic Viruses in Environmental Samples

Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth with an estimate of 1031 viral particles across all ecosystems. Prokaryotic viruses—bacteriophages and archaeal viruses—influence global biogeochemical cycles by shaping microbial communities through predation, through the effect of horizontal gene transfer on the host genome evolution, and through manipulating the host cellular metabolism. Imaging techniques have played an important role in understanding the biology and lifestyle of prokaryotic viruses. Specifically, structure-resolving microscopy methods, for example, transmission electron microscopy, are commonly used for understanding viral morphology, ultrastructure, and host interaction. These methods have been applied mostly to cultivated phage–host pairs. However, recent advances in environmental genomics have demonstrated that the majority of viruses remain uncultivated, and thus microscopically uncharacterized. Although light- and structure-resolving microscopy of viruses from environmental samples is possible, quite often the link between the visualization and the genomic information of uncultivated prokaryotic viruses is missing. In this minireview, we summarize the current state of the art of imaging techniques available for characterizing viruses in environmental samples and discuss potential links between viral imaging and environmental genomics for shedding light on the morphology of uncultivated viruses and their lifestyles in Earth’s ecosystems.
Pd-HPW/SiO2 Bi-Functional Catalyst: Sonochemical Synthesis, Characterization, and Effect on Octahydroquinazolinone Synthesis

A Palladium-doped silica-supported heteropoly acid (HPW) (1%Pd-HPW/SiO2) bi-functional catalyst was produced using ultrasonic and conventional procedures. Both forms of catalyst were characterized with distinct analytical approaches in order to access the advantages of each one. The presence of the required functional groups in the catalyst was confirmed using FT-IR. The crystallinity of ultrasonically generated 1%Pd-HPW/SiO2 was confirmed with XRD. The existence of necessary elements in the catalyst was also suggested by XPS and EDX data. BET was used to calculate the surface area of the ultrasonically synthesized catalyst (395 m2 g−1), and it was found to be greater than that of the non-ultrasonic synthesized catalyst (382 m2 g−1). The N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm indicated mesoporous structures. The SEM morphology at a similar magnification exhibited quite different shapes. In comparison to traditional methods, ultrasonic approaches produce higher yields in less time and use less energy. Furthermore, the effect of the preparation method of the 1%Pd-HPW/SiO2 catalyst was extensively studied with respect to the synthesis of octahydroquinazolinones. Excellent product yields, a fast reaction time, and simple work-up methods are some peculiarities associated with the ultrasonically synthesized catalyst. The recycling study was also investigated and found suitable for up to four reaction cycles.
Preferred Surgical and Anesthesia Techniques for Cataract Surgery in Jordan

Purpose To study the current practices in Jordan regarding cataract surgical procedures and anesthesia trends for cataract surgery. Methods A cross-sectional survey of members of the Jordanian Ophthalmology Society was conducted in October 2020. The questionnaire included questions about participants’ demographics, the preferred surgical techniques for cataracts, the preferred anesthesia technique for cataract surgery, the factors which affect the choice of anesthesia technique, the use of sedation, who gives the anesthesia, if there is an anesthesia-trained person who observes the patient during cataract surgery, and the changing trends towards anesthesia between the surgeons. Results More than half of the respondents (59.1%) had been in practice for more than 5 years. The preferred method for routine cataract was phacoemulsification for most participants (98.4%). For mature cataract, phacoemulsification was the preferred method for 61.4% of participants. More than half (55.1%) used topical with intracameral anesthesia for phacoemulsification. Two thirds of the participants (66.3%) performed retrobulbar anesthesia for extracapsular cataract surgery. In the majority of cases (86.6%), the respondent themself is the one who administers the anesthesia. No sedation was used before surgery in 62.6% of cases. Two thirds of the respondents (70.1%) reported that they had an anesthesia-trained person monitoring the patient during surgery. Patient cooperation was the most important factor (70.9%) affecting the surgeon’s choice of anesthesia technique followed by surgeon skill and experience (57.5%). Conclusion Presently, phacoemulsification is the preferred surgical technique for cataract in Jordan. Topical with intracameral anesthesia is the most common anesthesia for phacoemulsification while retrobulbar anesthesia is the most common for extracapsular cataract extraction.
Influence of a Non-Ionic Surfactant in the Microstructure and Rheology of a Pickering Emulsion Stabilized by Cellulose Nanofibrils

Emulsion stabilization is a broad and relevant field with applications in oil, polymer and food industries. In recent years, the use of solid particles to stabilize emulsions or Pickering emulsions have been studied for their kinetic and physical properties. Nanomaterials derived from natural sources are an interesting alternative for this application. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have been widely explored as a Pickering emulsifier with potential food applications, however, in some cases the presence of surfactants is unavoidable, and the literature is devoid of an evaluation of the effect of a non-ionic food-grade surfactant, such as polysorbate 80, in the stabilization of a vegetable oil by CNFs. To better assess the possible interactions between CNFs and this surfactant emulsions containing coconut oil, an emerging and broadly used oil, were processed with and without polysorbate 80 and evaluated in their qualitative stability, morphological and physical properties. Fluorescence microscopy, dynamic light scattering and rheology were used for this assessment. Results indicate in absence of the surfactant, emulsion stability increased at higher CNFs content, creaming was observed at 0.15 and 0.3 wt. % of CNFs, while it was not evidenced when 0.7 wt. % was used. After the addition of surfactant, the droplets are covered by the surfactant, resulting in particles with a smaller diameter, entrapped in the cellulosic structure. Rheology indicates a lower network stiffness after adding polysorbate 80.
Regional Differences in the Effects of Social Relations on Depression Among Korean Elderly and the Moderating Effect of Living Alone

Objectives Socioeconomic disadvantages interact with numerous factors which affect geriatric mental health. One of the main factors is the social relations of the elderly. The elderly have different experiences and meanings in their social lives depending on their socio-cultural environment. In this study, we compared the effects of social relations on depression among the elderly according to their living arrangement (living alone or living with others) and residential area. Methods We defined social relations as “meetings with neighbors” (MN). We then analyzed the impact of MN on depression using data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging Panel with the generalized estimating equation model. We also examined the moderating effect of living alone and performed subgroup analysis by dividing the sample according to which area they lived in. Results MN was associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms among elderlies. The size of the effect was larger in rural areas than in large cities. However, elderly those who lived alone in rural areas had a smaller protective impact of MN on depression, comparing to those who lived with others. The moderating effect of living alone was significant only in rural areas. Conclusions The social relations among elderlies had a positive effect on their mental health: The more frequent MN were held, the less risk of depressive symptoms occurred. However, the effect may vary depending on their living arrangement and environment. Thus, policies or programs targeting to enhance geriatric mental health should consider different socio-cultural backgrounds among elderlies.
Soil organic carbon dynamics from agricultural management practices under climate change

Abstract. Sequestration of soil organic carbon (SOC) on cropland has been proposed as a climate change mitigation strategy to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere, which in particular is needed to achieve the targets proposed in the Paris Agreement to limit the increase in atmospheric temperature to well below 2 ∘C. We analyze the historical evolution and future development of cropland SOC using the global process-based biophysical model LPJmL, which was recently extended by a detailed representation of tillage practices and residue management (version 5.0-tillage2). We find that model results for historical global estimates for SOC stocks are at the upper end of available literature, with ∼2650 Pg C of SOC stored globally in the year 2018, ∼170 Pg C of which is stored in cropland soils. In future projections, assuming no further changes in current cropland patterns and under four different management assumptions with two different climate forcings, RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, results suggest that agricultural SOC stocks decline in all scenarios, as the decomposition of SOC outweighs the increase in carbon inputs into the soil from altered management practices. Different climate change scenarios, as well as assumptions on tillage management, play a minor role in explaining differences in SOC stocks. The choice of tillage practice explains between 0.2 % and 1.3 % of total cropland SOC stock change in the year 2100. Future dynamics in cropland SOC are most strongly controlled by residue management: whether residues are left on the field or harvested. We find that on current cropland, global cropland SOC stocks decline until the end of the century by only 1.0 % to 1.4 % if residue retention management systems are generally applied and by 26.7 % to 27.3 % in the case of residue harvest. For different climatic regions, increases in cropland SOC can only be found for tropical dry, warm temperate moist, and warm temperate dry regions in management systems that retain residues.
The Impact of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic on Nurses’ Turnover Intention: An Integrative Review

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand and workload on nurses. In addition, the number of critical cases, the uncertainty about the disease, and the incidence rate of death from the disease impose a psychological stress on nurses. Considering the alarming issues of stress, burnout, and turnover among nurses even before the pandemic, the pandemic might have amplified such issues. Thus, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses’ turnover and turnover intention warrants investigation. The aim of this review is to appraise and integrate the current pre- and post-coronavirus disease (COVID-19) literature on nurse turnover, published between 2016 and 2021. Forty-three studies on nurses’ turnover intention were appraised and synthesized. The reviewed literature suggested that nurses’ turnover intention increased significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-COVID-19-pandemic studies focused more on predicting nurses’ turnover intention through the pandemic’s negative impact on the nurses’ psychological wellbeing. The findings of this review should be considered by nurse managers and leaders in the development of policies and programs to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 on nurse retention.
MCDM-Based R&D Project Selection: A Systematic Literature Review

From small spin-offs deploying innovative software to big pharmaceutical complexes making vaccines, Research and Development (R&D) Project Portfolio Selection (PPS) is an essential strategic process for various companies. It was never easy to select a set of projects among many feasible possibilities, even for yesterday’s paces. However, the world is rapidly changing, and so is R&D PPS. The portfolio objectives excel profit in the same manner that model constraints go beyond budget limitations. In parallel, project selection approaches and solving algorithms followed the increase of computational power. Despite all those changes, the importance of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods and the decision criteria used for R&D PPS, there is still room for a systematic literature review (SLR) for the topic. Thus, this paper offers an SLR of the existing literature from the half-century, 1970, and onward MCDM-based R&D PPS performed in Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection. We provide a comprehensive picture of this field, show how it is changing, and highlight standard practices and research opportunities in the area. We perform a broad classification of the MCDM methods, categorized by the nature of alternatives, types of integration approach, the MCDM method itself, and types of uncertainty, by the 66 studies in the SLR database. The portfolios’ classification obeys the application domain and the number of projects. We have also explored all the 263 criteria found in the literature by grouping them according to experts from five Brazilian R&D organizations that together manage portfolios valued around US$ 5 billion a year, accounting for 38% of all Brazilian annual expenditure in R&D projects. We also include a bibliometric analysis of the considered papers and research opportunities highlighted or not explored by researchers. Given the increasing number of decision-making approaches and new technologies available, we hope to provide guidance on the topic and promote knowledge production and growth concerning the usage of MCDM methods and decision criteria in R&D PPS.
Limitation of Water-Soluble Tetrazolium Salt for the Cytocompatibility Evaluation of Zinc-Based Metals

Zinc (Zn) and its alloys have been regarded as promising biodegradable metals. The standardized cytotoxicity evaluation is a mandatory step to screen the biocompatibility of novel Zn and its alloys. Nevertheless, the suitability of the tetrazolium-based assay in the direct contact test for some metallic biomaterials (i.e., magnesium and manganese) is questionable. In this study, our results demonstrate an obvious inconsistency between qualitative observation via fluorescence staining and quantitative assessment using water-soluble tetrazolium salt (CCK-8). Subsequent experiments revealed that Zn and pre-treated Zn can directly convert tetrazolium salts to formazan, falsifying the cytotoxicity results. Therefore, we conclude that the CCK-8 assay is not suitable for evaluating the cytotoxicity of biodegradable Zn-based metals in the direct contact test.