Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Online Discussion in Blended Learning on Students’ Mathematical Concept Comprehension and Attitude

This research aimed at (1) investigating if asynchronous online discussion in Blended Learning (BL) affect positively on students’ concept comprehension and attitude, as well as (2) describing why asynchronous online discussion in BL is better at improving students’ concept comprehension and attitude. This research combined quantitative and qualitative research utilizing explanatory sequential design. The quantitative design with Randomized Posttest-Only Comparison Group Design with a sample of 68 junior high school students in Bali, the qualitative design used descriptive approach on five population subjects which was done purposively. The quantitative data in the form of students’ concept comprehension and attitude was collected by using essay test and questionnaire. The qualitative data was in the form of: (a) students’ responses towards the implementation of online discussion, (b) online and group discussion activities, (c) students’ works, collected by using (a) interview, (b) observation sheet, (c) documentation. The quantitative data was analysed by using Manova test with 5% significance level. The qualitative data was analysed in the steps of: (a) data reduction, (b) data presentation, and (c) data verification. The result of the experiment showed that the concept comprehension and attitude of the students who attended asynchronous online discussion in BL was significantly better than the students who attended synchronous online discussion in BL. This was because the students who attended asynchronous online discussion were more enthusiast, more trained in communicating their understanding, more motivated in discussion and in learning process.
Rehydration of mango powders produced by cast-tape drying, freeze drying, and spray drying

Abstract This study aimed at evaluating the drying of mango-based pulps and the rehydration properties of the resulting powders produced by cast-tape drying (CTD), freeze drying (FD), and spray drying (SD). Mango powders were characterized for wetting time, contact angle, and solubility, as well as reconstituted with distilled water for the determination of color, particle size distribution, rheology, and microstructure. Mango powders produced by CTD and FD presented the smallest contact angles, shortest wetting times, and highest solubility. All the reconstituted pulps showed pseudoplastic behavior. Mango pulps reconstituted from powders produced by SD and FD have a color similar to the raw pulp, differently for those produced by CTD (with and without maltodextrin) result of oxidation reactions that change the powder color. The selection of the drying process determines the specific characteristics of the resulting powder and reconstituted suspension because the rheological behavior of reconstituted fruit pulps is an essential property to be considered for its use. Mango pulps reconstituted from powders produced by SD are suitable for juice preparation, due to their less viscous characteristics. CTD and FD mango powders could be used in numerous food formulations.
A forest canopy as a living archipelago: Why phylogenetic isolation may increase and age decrease diversity

An individual tree resembles a living island, a small spatially distinct unit upon which colonizers maintain populations. However, several differences exist compared to oceanic islands: a tree is relatively young, is composed of numerous differently aged branches, may be phylogenetically isolated from neighbours, and some of its colonizers are specific to particular tree lineages. We suggest that these specificities strongly affect both alpha‐ and beta‐diversity within trees, including positive effects of isolation on the diversity of generalists, and strengthening of the effect of isolation with tree age.
Distributed adaptive consensus tracking for uncertain high‐order nonlinear multiagent systems with event‐triggered communication

This article investigates the distributed adaptive consensus tracking control problem for a class of high‐order nonlinear multiagent systems with unmodeled system dynamics, uncertain external disturbances, and event‐triggered communication. Under an undirected graph condition, a robust distributed adaptive consensus control scheme is proposed. To deal with the lumped system uncertainties involved in each agent, adaptive compensation techniques are adopted. Moreover, by designing a triggering condition for each agent, which only relies on individual states' changing rates, continuous monitoring of neighboring states can be avoided. It is shown that with the proposed control scheme, all the closed‐loop signals are globally uniformly bounded and all the agents' outputs can track the desired trajectory with adjustable tracking errors. Meanwhile, Zeno behavior is excluded in each agent.
A sensory ecological perspective on mate sampling strategies: simulation models and an empirical test

Long-range communication signals play a central role in mate search and mate choice across a wide range of taxa. Among the different aspects of mate choice, the strategy an individual employ to search for potential mates (mate sampling) has been less explored despite its significance. Although analytical models of mate sampling have demonstrated significant differences in individual fitness returns for different sampling strategies, these models have rarely incorporated relevant information on the ecology of signalers and sensory physiology of receivers, both of which can profoundly influence which sampling strategy is optimal. In this study, we used simulation models to compare the costs and benefits of different female mate sampling strategies in an acoustically communicating field cricket (Plebeiogryllus guttiventris) by incorporating information on relative spacing of callers in natural choruses, their signal intensity and the effect of signal intensity on female phonotaxis behaviour. Mating with the louder caller that the female first approaches emerged as the optimal strategy, thus reflecting the importance of physiological mechanisms of sound signal localization (passive attraction) over active sampling. When tested empirically in the field, female behaviour was consistent with passive attraction.
Evaluation of Processed Cassava Flour and Blood(PCB) in feed for Broiler Chickens

A six (6) week feeding trial was conducted to assess the effect of processed cassava flour and fresh blood labeled PCB on the growth performance of broiler chickens. Ninety (90) 2-week old broiler chickens were randomly selected in groups of 15 with mean initial liveweight of 276.6g per bird. Two iso-nitrogenous (19%) and iso-caloric (12.0 ME MJ/Kg) dietary treatments were tested: T1 (Maize + concentrate + wheat bran) and T2 (PCB + concentrate + wheat bran). Completely Randomized Design was used and dietary treatment was replicated thrice. There was no significant difference (P<0.05) in weight gain and final weight between birds fed T1 and T2. Birds fed maize-based diet (T1) showed higher (P<0.05) feed intake than their counterparts on PCB-based diet. However, the lower consumption of PCB-based diet did not affect their growth performance. Feed cost was reduced (P<0.05) when PCB was used. No mortality was recorded when PCB was fed to birds. There was no significance difference (P<0.05) in dressed weight, dressing percentage, leg weight and neck between birds fed T1 and T2. There was however significant difference (P<0.05) in gizzard weight, head weight and intestine weight between birds fed maize-based diet (T1) and PCB-based diet (T2). It was concluded that feeding PCB has favourable nutritional effect on growth performance of broilers and can serve as a substitute for maize in concentrate-based diet.
Genetic stock structure of New Zealand fish and the use of genomics in fisheries management: an overview and outlook

ABSTRACT Sustainable management of wild fisheries requires accurate delineation of reproductively isolated stocks to avoid depletion of a commercially and ecologically important resource. However, there is still a lack of reliable information on stock structure for most fishery species in New Zealand. DNA markers can assist in the delineation of stocks, but they also can provide significant insights into other areas related to the genetic diversity and the response to pressures. In this review, we first provide a detailed summary of the population genetic studies of New Zealand fish species, with a particular focus on hoki, orange roughy, snapper, ling, and blue cod. We find that genetic data is uniformly lacking for most species. We then discuss how the global shift from low resolution markers to genomics in fisheries genetics has far reaching consequences for the sustainable management of our aquatic resources, by allowing us to address multiple important pressures that wild fisheries are currently facing, and we introduce some of these briefly. We conclude by emphasising the need for a more systematic and holistic approach for the use of genomics in New Zealand fisheries management, so that the best evidence is available to inform the decisions of policy makers.
The crystal-chemistry of high-aluminium titanites

A crystal-chemical study of high-aluminium titanites , where X Al =Al/(Al+Ti+Fe 3+ )≥0.25, has been made using single-crystal X-ray diffractometry on four samples from three different rock-types and localities. The first refinement of a natural pure CaTiOSiO 4 titanite in the P2 1 /a space group is also presented. All of the high-aluminium titanites studied have A2/a space group symmetry with linear trends between geometrical and chemical parameters. Increasing Al content provokes a strong contraction of the octahedral site geometry : as X Al approaches 0.50, the mean distance in titanites reaches that of the chemical end-member vuagnatite, in which the octahedral chains are not corner-sharing but edge-sharing. The distance decreases linearly with , but the SiO 4 tetrahedra remain constant in size. The contraction of the octahedron does not explain by itself the apparent structural limit to Al substitution at around X Al =0.50 previously suggested from experimental studies and natural observations; this limit, if it is real, is probably related to problems with local charge balancing and/or with structural matching
Managed care and innovation in healthcare management: a Brazilian experience

ABSTRACT This work analyses how Brazilian health insurance operators and hospitals apply Managed Care (MC) and innovation-related criteria upon managing healthcare operations. Four health plan operators and two internationally accredited hospitals in Southern Brazil were analysed. Semi-structured interviews were performed with managers appointed by the selected organisations. A framework based on MC and innovation management criteria was used as a reference for data collection. The surveyed hospitals have shown to be more compliant with the MC criteria whereas the surveyed health plan operators are less compliant to these criteria. The highest compliance rate for both types of organisations was on the management of medical services criterion. No evidence was found about adoption of the selected concepts of innovation in healthcare management. MC and Innovation criteria may produce an integrated focus on the client (patient), considering a systemic view of the value chain and of innovation in healthcare management as ways of increasing the quality of services provided while reducing costs. Managers would have benefited from taking this approach.
Analysis of the impact of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial inheritance on litter size and carcass in rabbits

The effects of mitogenome variation on economically important traits have been reported in a number of domestic animal species. In this study, the first of its kind on rabbits, we have performed the estimation of the contribution of cytoplasmic and D-loop mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence effects on the litter size and carcass traits in three Pannon rabbit breeds (Pannon Ka, Pannon Large and Pannon White). The observed effects of both estimates, coming from cytoplasmic or D-loop mtDNA variation, were negligible. The most likely explanation for the results obtained is the lack of mitogenome polymorphism in all three populations, as suggested from the analysis performed on the D-loop mtDNA sequence, here assigned to the two most frequent rabbit haplotypes. The extent of potential benefits of the introduction, or alteration, of mitogenome variation in rabbit breeding remains an open question for future research.
Barriers to academic help-seeking: the relationship with gender-typed attitudes

ABSTRACT In recent years, male students at UK schools and universities have been falling behind their female peers in academic achievement. Previous studies have shown that male students are less likely than female students to seek academic help, but have not investigated the relationship between gender-typical attitudes and reluctance to seek academic help. In the present study, 162 students at six UK universities completed the Help-Seeking Scales and the Traditional Gender Script Questionnaire. Data from this survey were analysed using MANOVA and multilple linear regression. The main findings were that reluctance to seek help was predicted by higher scores on the masculine gender script subscale Mastery and Control of feelings for both male (β =.448, p <.01) and female students (β = .497, p < .001). For male participants, being a Fighter and a Winner also predicted reluctance to seek help (β = −.322, p < .05) whereas, for female students, greater help-seeking was associated with more interest in creating Family Harmony (β = −.272, p < .05). These findings suggest that the help-seeking behaviour of both male and female students is related to specific gender-typical attitudes. We suggest that awareness of these attitudes can serve to inform educational practice by facilitating access to academic assistance and encouraging all students to seek academic help.
Comparison of the volume fraction values of grey matter on the cervical enlargement of the spinal cord in chicken and quail

The aim of this study was to estimate and compare volume fraction values of grey matter (substantia grisea) in the cervical enlargement (intumescentia cervicalis) using stereological methods for two different types of birds. Ten pairs of quails and chickens were included in this study as one of them is flying and the other one is flightless bird species. The tissues cut into serial sections of 5 µm thickness were selected according to systematic random sampling and stained with cresyl violet. Volume and volume fractions were calculated in accordance with the Cavalieri principle. Student’s t-test was used to evaluate volume fraction differences among the species. The volume fractions of grey matter in cervical enlargement of chicken and quail were 0.277 ± 0.005 and 0.346 ± 0.014 (Mean ± Standart Deviation), respectively (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference between chicken and quail cervical enlargements in terms of volume fraction values of grey matter. On the other hand, the Cavalieri principle was considered as an unbiased, accurate and effective method for volume and volume fraction estimations.
Fine Structure of the Chenghai Fault Zone, Yunnan, China, Constrained From Teleseismic Travel Time and Ambient Noise Tomography

To derive high‐resolution fault zone (FZ) structure of the Chenghai fault in Yunnan, southwestern China, we deployed a linear dense array crossing the fault from January to February 2018. The array consisted of 158 short‐period (5 s) three‐component instruments and spanned an aperture of ~8 km with average station spacing of 40–50 m. During the 1‐month deployment, 20 teleseismic earthquakes with moment magnitudes larger than 5.5 and 41 local earthquakes were recorded. We first analyzed the travel times of P and S waves from teleseismic earthquakes to determine the boundaries of the FZ. After correcting the station‐event geometry effects, teleseismic travel time differences between the reference station, and all other stations clearly marked a zone of 3.4 km in width with distinct travel time anomaly, suggesting a low‐velocity zone (LVZ) surrounding the Chenghai fault. We then conducted ambient noise tomography and found that the S wave velocity of the LVZ was reduced by 60% and 40% compared to the northwest and southeast of the LVZ, respectively. Our ambient noise results suggested the LVZ extending to ~1.5 km in depth, consistent with the travel time anomalies of teleseismic earthquakes. Integrating ambient noise tomography with teleseismic travel times in a dense array with such an aperture is an effective approach for resolving FZ structure and depth extent.
Effects of withania somnifera root extracts on serotonin secretion in suiz albino mice

Pain is a common manifestation of presence of disease or physical injury in humans. High levels of serotonin in the plasma has been associated with pain. This study aimed at determining the effect of Withania somnifera root extracts on serotonin levels in Suiz albino mice. W. somnifera root samples were collected and ground to small pieces. Ethanol, n-butanol, xylene and methanol were used to extract metabolites from the ground root materials using hot extraction technique. The mice were injected with the extracts separately and serotonin levels determined over a period of 12 h at 2 h intervals. Serotonin concentration was determined using Beer Lamberts method. Light absorbance by the extracts varied significantly (F = 50.2011 P = 1.25x10. The concentrations of serotonin from mice injected with the metabolites from the selected solvents varied significantly (F = 23.3269 P = 0.0000469. In addition, there was no significant difference in light absorbance values obtained by Panadol, methanol and ethanol extracts. (F = 3.7178 P = 0.089). Extracts from W. somnifera have the ability to reduce serotonin levels in plasma. Further studies on the mechanisms involved in reducing serotonin levels by W. somnifera in blood need to be carried out. There is need for mass production of metabolites from W. somnifera.
Organic Food Consumption in Italy: The Role of Subjective Relevance of Food as Mediator between Organic Food Choice Motivation and Frequency of Organic Food Consumption

Nowadays, the problems that afflict our planet (climate change, loss of biodiversity, etc.) are leading to the implementation of a more sustainable type of consumption. Increasing the consumption of organic products is a way to face and try to solve these problems. In order to reach this aim, it is important to understand how consumers’ subjective relevance of these products impacts on their consumption. The recent literature, in fact, highlighted how food consumption is salient for the individual to express their identity and life orientations, even more in the case of organic food consumption. Nonetheless, little is known about how subjective relevance of food affects organic food consumption. The present research aims to measure the role of subjective relevance in organic food consumption. Data were collected with a self-report questionnaire that was filled out by a sample of 964 Italians, representative of the population. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) and the bootstrap technique to test the hypothesis. The results show that subjective food relevance is a mediator between the motivations of organic food consumption and the frequency of consumption of it. This research points out the necessity to study consumers in a wider way, using communication that emphasizes the role that these products have in satisfying the psychological needs of consumers.
The complete mitochondrial genome of Luffa acutangula

Abstract Based on PacBio de novo assembly, we report the first complete mitochondrial genome of Luffa acutangula (460,333 bp) containing nine large chloroplast-derived sequences (1.9–17.3 kb) across the mitogenome. The base composition of the mitogenome in descending order is A: 28.02%, C: 22.04%, G: 21.83% and T: 28.10%, and the G + C content is 43.87%. There are 63 mitochondrial genes including 40 protein-coding genes, 3 rRNA genes and 20 tRNA genes. Additionally, a total of 288 repeats ranging from 31 to 5,301 bp were identified, accounting for 5.7% of the mitogenome. Two large direct repeats (5,301 and 405 bp) within the mitogenome were found for the formation of four subgenomic molecules. A phylogenetic analysis showed that L. acutangula was closely related to other species in Cucurbiaceae. This mitogenome provides useful genetic information for evolutionary studies.
1 Large-scale functional connectivity in multisensory cortex 2 predicts performance 3 4

22 Complex behavior requires fast changes of functional connectivity in large-scale cortical networks. 23 Here, we report on the dynamics of functional coupling across visual, auditory and parietal areas 24 during a lateralized detection task in the ferret. We hypothesized that fluctuations in coupling, 25 indicative of dynamic variations in the network state, should be predictive of the animals’ 26 performance. Analysis of power for hit and miss trials revealed significant differences around 27 stimulusand response-onset. In contrast, phase coupling already differed between hits and misses 28 before stimulus onset, indicating fluctuations in large-scale network connectivity. In particular, higher 29 phase coupling of visual and auditory regions to parietal cortex was predictive of task performance. 30 Furthermore, we observed that long-range coupling became more predominant during the task period 31 compared to the pre-stimulus baseline. Taken together, these results suggest that fluctuations in the 32 network state, particular with respect to long-range connectivity, are critical determinants of the 33 animals’ behavior. 34 Hollensteiner et al., Functional connectivity in multisensory cortex predicts performance 3
Rural pig production and pork consumption in Imo State, Nigeria

The study examined pig production and pork consumption in rural communities of three Local Government Areas in Imo State, Nigeria. The data used for the study were obtained from 120 farmers including 60 pig producers and 60 pork consumers. Random sampling techniques were employed for the study and data collected were analysed in descriptive statistics and multiple regression. Results presented were on the socio-economic, production and management characteristics of pig farmers, resources used for pig production, factors affecting pig production and pork consumption, pig production systems, constraints of pig production and pork consumption patterns in the study area. Result showed that the pig farmers were educated to tertiary education and had not less than 20-24 years of pig farming experience. The study also revealed that majority of pig farmers kept inventories, had animal husbandry training, access credit facilities, and agribusiness cooperatives as management characteristics. The factors affecting pig production include income, cost of feed, farm size, household size, cost of drugs, and cost of labour while factors affecting pork consumption were pork price, environmental conditions, poor hygiene, cultural and religious beliefs, and nutritional values. The major constraints affecting pig production in the study area were high labour, poor housing, high finance, land holding, high incidence of disease, and high cost of feed. In conclusion, crossbred pigs were reared more than indigenous breeds due to their low productivity. However, pig breeders can preserve indigenous pig germlines through on-farm and ex-situ conservation for genetic diversity improvement. Keywords: Pig farmers, Pork, Production, Consumption, Management, Constraints.