Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The present shock and time re-appropriation: rethinking science education in the pandemic era

The crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic is so huge that raises enormous questions about its implications for our societies and personal lives. In this article, we focus on science education and the role it can play to prepare future generations to grapple with this complex, fast-changing and fragile society. The approach we chose is centered on the concept of time, whose perception and organisation has been deeply affected by pandemic-induced changes. An exploratory qualitative study has been carried out with secondary school students to investigate how they were experiencing time during lockdown and which (if any) scientific knowledge they were activating to grapple with the current uncertainty and change in time structures.The main result concerns the discovery of the potential of the dichotomy between alienation from time and time re-appropriation to highlight the difference between future shock, (characteristic of the pre-crisis society of acceleration) and present shock (characteristic of the pandemic era). The analysis of students’ interviews allowed us to start unpacking time re-appropriation and its links with science learning and identity development.On the basis of the analysis, we identified three directions that science education research could explore to support schools and science teaching in playing a leading role in this fast-changing society. The directions concern new thematic and epistemological priorities for science curricula, new emphasis on learning and teaching rituals fostering appropriation, and arguments for revising the institutional role of schools.
Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) of Ecuadorian Highaltitude Streams: A Survey and Illustrated Key

Abstract Chironomidae (Diptera) are among the most diverse and widespread aquatic insects, with roughly 5,500 described species inhabiting an enormous variety of aquatic ecosystems, ranging from moist soils to lakes and rivers, and even marine ecosystems. Despite its ubiquity, the group remains underrepresented in studies addressing aquatic insect assemblages of high-altitude systems, either glacier-fed or non-glacial, particularly in South America. Glacier-fed streams possibly are one of the harshest ecosystems in nature, and present a distinct downstream pattern in species distribution and diversity away from the constraining influence of the glacier. In this context, the goal of our study was to provide data on the chironomid fauna of glacier-fed streams, together with neighboring non-glacial streams in Ecuador, in order to contribute to the overall knowledge of tropical fauna in high Andean regions. Also, we sought to provide an identification key and photography material for future studies. Collections of non-biting midges were made in Ecuador during Jan 2008. In total, 1,412 specimens belonging to 16 genera and at least 23 species within the subfamilies Chironominae (3 taxa), Diamesinae (3 taxa), Podonominae (3 taxa), Orthocladiinae (13 taxa), and Tanypodinae (1 taxon) were found. The subfamilies Podonominae and Orthocladiinae predominated in terms of abundance. Parochlus was the most widespread genus of Chironomidae, while Cricotopus was the most diverse. This study contributes to the knowledge of the chironomid fauna in the high-altitude streams in Ecuador, and hopefully will motivate further studies in the area.
Antibacterial activity of Aroeira honeys produced in Minas-Gerais against bacteria of clinical importance

The biological activity of honey has been the subject of great scientific investigation. Bee products are widely used in folk medicine to treat human diseases due to their antibacterial and inhibitory potential action on different human pathogens. Ten honey samples produced by Apis mellifera in the northern of Minas Gerais state were tested against pathogenic microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus TSST (clinical isolated) and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli ATCC 43895 for determination of their minimum inhibitory concentrations. The microdilution technique in broth Mueller-Hinton broth (MHB) was used in four concentrations (25, 12.5, 6.25 and 3.125%). There was a reduction of bacterial growth for the two target species at all concentrations tested. The optimal concentration for inhibition of S. aureus and E. coli were 3.125% (w/v). Therefore, the antibacterial activity of the tested samples evidences the potential of Aroeira honey produced in the north of Minas Gerais for therapeutic use, thus contributing to the aggregation value and commercialization of this type of honey.
Evaluation of yield traits for the development of a UK fertility index for dairy cattle.

INTRODUCTION Poor fertility of dairy cows has become a major cause of involuntary culling in many countries worldwide. Production costs and welfare related implications are of great concern to the industry. In the UK, there are no breeding tools available to help identify bulls that breed daughters with poor fertility. For this reason, a fertility index is being developed. The index includes insemination traits, which are directly linked to the cow’s ability to conceive, and calving interval, which readily provides objective and reliable information. In addition, body condition is being considered as a useful tool in assessing the energy status of the cow, which is genetically correlated with reproductive performance (Harrison et al, 1990; Pryce et al, 2001). Finally, milk yield is also being considered in order to account for culling due to low production, because of its relationship with both calving interval and body condition, and to increase the predictive capacity of the fertility index.
Nest Predation in the African Blue Tit, Cyanistes teneriffae (Aves, Paridae), Using Nest-Boxes and Artificial Nests

Predation on breeding blue tit populations in north-eastern Algeria has been studied in nest boxes during a five years fieldwork (2003-2007) in cork oak forests. Nest boxes were placed each year in Brabtia plain forest in El Kala National Park. Results have shown that mean nest predation rate is 51.74%. Six patterns of nest predation have been described and five predators are probably involved: Common Genet, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Ocellated Lizard, Ants and Rodents. Genet is the major predator on tit nests. Mean predation rates on egg and nestling stages are similar. Artificial nests and natural nests had similar predation rates. Major predators on artificial nests were lizards and Rodents.
Did Institutional Investors’ Behavior Affect U.S.-China Equity Market Sentiment? Evidence from the U.S.-China Trade Turbulence

In the current situation of U.S.-China trade turbulence, this study focuses on quarterly panel data from May 2016 to September 2019 in order to verify the effectiveness of feedback trading strategy and smart money theory in stabilizing U.S.-China securities markets and to understand the role of institutional investors’ behavior, to come up with suggestions for improving and perfecting the market mechanism in stabilizing the U.S.-China securities markets. In this study, we adopt the generalized method of moments (GMM) to perform dynamic panel data analysis and discuss the changes in professional institutional investors’ behavior and equity market sentiment in the U.S. and China during the trade turbulence, and then analyze whether that behavior will suppress local stock market sentiment. Through empirical research, we found that institutional investors on both sides of the trade turbulence have a different impact on the stability of the local securities market. The behavior of institutional investors in the United States has played a role in stabilizing equity market sentiment in accordance with feedback trading strategy and smart money theory. However, the behavior of institutional investors in China is the opposite.
The Interaction of Compliance and Activation on the Force-Length Operating Range and Force Generating Capacity of Skeletal Muscle: A Computational Study using a Guinea Fowl Musculoskeletal Model

Synopsis A muscle’s performance is influenced by where it operates on its force–length (F–L) curve. Here we explore how activation and tendon compliance interact to influence muscle operating lengths and force-generating capacity. To study this, we built a musculoskeletal model of the lower limb of the guinea fowl and simulated the F–L operating range during fixed-end fixed-posture contractions for 39 actuators under thousands of combinations of activation and posture using three different muscle models: Muscles with non-compliant tendons, muscles with compliant tendons but no activation-dependent shift in optimal fiber length (L0), and muscles with both compliant tendons and activation-dependent shifts in L0. We found that activation-dependent effects altered muscle fiber lengths up to 40% and increased or decreased force capacity by up to 50% during fixed-end contractions. Typically, activation-compliance effects reduce muscle force and are dominated by the effects of tendon compliance at high activations. At low activation, however, activation-dependent shifts in L0 are equally important and can result in relative force changes for low compliance muscles of up to 60%. There are regions of the F–L curve in which muscles are most sensitive to compliance and there are troughs of influence where these factors have little effect. These regions are hard to predict, though, because the magnitude and location of these areas of high and low sensitivity shift with compliance level. In this study we provide a map for when these effects will meaningfully influence force capacity and an example of their contributions to force production during a static task, namely standing.
The Impact of Brand Relationships on Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation—An Integrative Model

The current literature focuses on the cocreation of brands in dynamic contexts, but the impact of the relationships among brands on branding is poorly documented. To address this gap a concept is proposed concerning the relationships between brands and a model is developed, showing the influence of the latter on the identity and reputation of brands. Therefore, the goal of this study is to develop a brand relationships concept and to build a framework relating it with corporate brand identity and reputation, in a higher consumer involvement context like higher education. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used for this purpose. In line with this, interviews, cooperatively developed by higher education lecturers and brand managers, were carried out with focus groups of higher education students, and questionnaires conducted, with 216 complete surveys obtained. Data are analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Results demonstrate that the concept of brand relationships comprises three dimensions: trust, commitment, and motivation. The structural model reveals robustness regarding the selected fit indicators, demonstrating that the relationships between brands influence brand identity and reputation. This suggests that managers must choose and promote brand relationships that gel with the identity and reputation of the primary brand they manage, to develop an integrated balanced product range.
Mitochondrial DNA as a Breast Cancer Biomarker

textabstractIn this thesis, we extended the exploration on the value of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) alterations as a cancer biomarker. First, by quantification of the number of mtDNA molecules per cell in primary tumours we explored the association with established clinicopathological biomarkers (Chapter 2 and 3), and investigated the prognostic (Chapter 2) and predictive (Chapter 3) potential of mtDNA content in patients with breast cancer. The exploration of mtDNA as a putative biomarker in breast cancer was further extended by exploring somatic variants and expression of the mitochondrial transcriptome in primary breast cancer samples, and assessed for their association with established clinicopathological markers (Chapter 4). Next, to investigate mtDNA in blood, we set up a pipeline to analyse the genetic make-up of cfDNA in retrospective – and thus limiting amounts of – breast cancer patient material (Chapter 5). In addition, we established a sensitive and specific approach to profile mtDNA (Chapter 6). The knowledge acquired from the efforts described in Chapter 5 and 6 were applied in a cohort of retrospectively selected breast and colon cancer patients to explore the feasibility of tumour-specific mtDNA variant detection in cfDNA as a cancer biomarker (Chapter 7).
Evaluating the effect of using turmeric (Curcuma longa) on growth performance and hematological parameters of the ornamental fish, Green Terror (Andinocara rivulatus)

Shape and size of the body, color's beauty and its healthy condition are among the main factors for selling of ornamental fish in the market. Researchers have tended to use herbal additives as growth promoter and immune stimulator agents. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of turmeric powder (Curcuma longa) as a dietary supplement for the ornamental fish Green Terror (Andinocara rivulatus) on growth and feed performance, survival rate, and hematologic parameters. In this regard, 144 specimens with average weight of 1.53±0.22 (g) were obtained and the hypotheses were studied with four iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets containing 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 percent of turmeric powder, formulated with Win feed 2.8 software. Along the period of 100 days, the fish were biometry every 20 days, and at the end of the trial, blood examination test was performed. Results showed that the fish fed with diet contains 0.3% turmeric powder (T3) had better growth performance, FCR, condition factor and survival rate specification, but no significant differences observed between the treated and control groups (p>0.05). RBC, PCV, hemoglobin, MCHC were increased not significantly (p>0.05), whereas WBC increased significantly in T3 compare to the other groups (p<0.05). MCH and MCV were decreased non-significant in groups fed by supplemented diets compare to the control group (p>0.05). Applying turmeric powder at the level of 0.3 percent of the basal diet could not alter the growth indices significantly but could altered the hematological parameters with emphasis on WBC.
The Effect of Capital Structure and Firm Size on Firm Value Through Profitability as Intervening Variable

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of capital structure and firm size on firm value through profitability as an intervening variable. This study was conducted among manufacturing companies in various industrial sectors in Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) during the period 2013-2017. The dependent variable was the value of the firm measured by PBV. The independent variables were the capital structure measured by DER and firm value measured by ln (total assets). Profitability as intervening variable was measured by ROA. This study used secondary data extracted from the financial statements of 17 public companies. Analysis was conducted using multiple regression of panel data, path analysis and sobel test. The results showed that firm size and capital structure had significant effect on profitability, while firm size, capital structure and profitability had significant effect on firm value. The results also showed that profitability was able to mediate the effect of firm size and capital structure on firm value.
Interplay between historical and current features of the cityscape in shaping the genetic structure of the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) in Dakar (Senegal, West Africa)

Population genetic approaches are often used to investigate dispersal patterns of species living in highly urbanized environment in order to improve management strategies for biodiversity conservation or pest control. However, in such environment, population genetic structure may reflect both current features of the cityscape and urbanization history. This can be especially relevant when focusing on non-native invasive commensal rodents that have been introduced in numerous primary colonial European settlements. Accounting for spatial and temporal cityscape heterogeneity to determine how past and recent demographic events may interplay to shape current population genetic structure of synanthropic rodents may provide useful insights to manage their populations. In this study, we addressed these issues by focusing on the house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, in Dakar, Senegal, where the species may have been introduced as soon as Europeans settled in the middle of the nineteenth century. We examined genetic variation at one mitochondrial locus and 15 nuclear microsatellite markers from individuals sampled in 14 sampling sites representing different stages of urbanization history and different socio-economic environments in Dakar. We used various approaches, including model-based genetic clustering and model-free smoothing of pairwise genetic estimates. We further linked observed spatial genetic patterns to historical and current features of Dakar cityscape using random forest and Bayesian conditional autoregressive models. Results are consistent with an introduction of the house mouse at colonial time and current genetic structure reflects the interplay between the historical dynamics of urbanization and the variation of contemporary urban habitats, including socio-economic features, that translate in habitat quality for the house mouse. Our results highlight the potential importance of accounting for past demographic events to understand spatial genetic patterns of non-native invasive commensal rodents in highly urbanized environment.
Economic policy uncertainty, R&D expenditures and innovation outputs

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the news-based economic policy uncertainty (EPU), research and development (R&D) expenditures per capita and innovation outputs.Design/methodology/approachData from 1996 to 2015 for 19 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States) are used. The authors apply country and year fixed-effects models for the estimations.FindingsThe study findings show that higher levels of EPU are positively associated with higher R&D expenditures per capita as well as innovation outputs (patent applications, patent grants and trademark applications). Practical implicationsThis study deepens our understanding on the policy uncertainty–economic activities nexus and expands the literature on uncertainty, which is still at an initial phase of development, leading to generate a variety of open research questions for further investigation and study (Bloom, 2014). Originality/valueThere has not been an empirical investigation on the links between EPU and R&D expenditures and innovation outputs across several countries. The authors address this gap in the literature.
High Production of Soluble Iron Promoted by Aerosol Acidification in Fog

The current poor understanding of soluble iron (Fe) yield in atmospheric aerosols leaves two observational facts having not yet been correctly simulated in numerical models: the high Fe solubility in aerosols with low Fe content and, hence, the wide range of observed Fe solubility. Our observation at Qingdao, a coastal city of China, revealed that soluble Fe was produced along with aerosol acidification much more efficiently in fog than under other weather conditions. The median Fe solubility in fog aerosols, 5.81%, was 3.3 times of that in haze aerosols, 5.2 times of that in clear days, and 21.5 times of that in dust aerosols. Involving fog processing in models may reduce the discrepancy in the atmospheric flux of soluble Fe to the ocean between numerical simulations and field observations.
APPLICATION PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT WORK USING SIMPLE ADDITIVE WEIGHTING (SAW) METHOD

Handling Infrastructure and Public Facilities (PPSU) are officers formed in 2015 by Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, the Governor of DKI Jakarta at the Kelurahan level. The assessment carried out by Munjul Kelurahan is currently still subjectively subject to a section by the Head of the Economy and Development Section and there are no clear and detailed parameters in determining workers' assessments. So that it can result in non-transparent PPSU performance evaluation The application of decision support systems in the assessment of PPSU work performance will provide a structured assessment. One method that can be used in decision support systems is Simple Additive Weighting (SAW). The concept of this method is to look for a performance rating (priority scale) on each alternative in all attributes. The calculation can determine the best PPSU accurately to make PPSU recruitment decisions every year.
Capturing differences in conservatism following earnings restatements: further evidence from Tehran Stock Exchange

PurposeThe present study seeks to shed further light on the effectiveness of Basu (1997) and Khan and Watts' (2009) differential timeliness metrics in detecting predictable differences in conservatism following corrections of restated earnings.Design/methodology/approachUsing cross-sectional and time-series analyses for companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during 2009–2013, the results indicate lower conservatism for restating firms as compared to their counterparts during prerestatement period.FindingsUsing cross-sectional and time-series analyses for companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during 2009–2013, the results indicate lower conservatism for restating firms as compared to their counterparts during prerestatement period. In contrast, our findings are indicative of higher conservatism among these restating firms during the years of restatements. Moreover, the time-series approach captures a higher conservatism for the restating firms during restatement years than prerestatement periods. Overall, these results provide insight into the usefulness of the metrics used in the restatement setting.Originality/valueSimilar to recent papers, the present study seeks to shed further light on the ability of Basu-based coupled with Khan–Watts-based measures of conservatism to detect situations in which companies' earnings are known to be significantly restated.
Observation and Modeling of High-temperature Solar Active Region Emission during the High-resolution Coronal Imager Flight of 2018 May 29

Excellent coordinated observations of NOAA active region 12712 were obtained during the flight of the High-resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) sounding rocket on 2018 May 29. This region displayed a typical active region core structure with relatively short, high-temperature loops crossing the polarity inversion line and bright “moss” located at the footpoints of these loops. The differential emission measure (DEM) in the active region core is very sharply peaked at about 4 MK. Further, there is little evidence for impulsive heating events in the moss, even at the high spatial resolution and cadence of Hi-C. This suggests that active region core heating is occurring at a high frequency and keeping the loops close to equilibrium. To create a time-dependent simulation of the active region core, we combine nonlinear force-free extrapolations of the measured magnetic field with a heating rate that is dependent on the field strength and loop length and has a Poisson waiting time distribution. We use the approximate solutions to the hydrodynamic loop equations to simulate the full ensemble of active region core loops for a range of heating parameters. In all cases, we find that high-frequency heating provides the best match to the observed DEM. For selected field lines, we solve the full hydrodynamic loop equations, including radiative transfer in the chromosphere, to simulate transition region and chromospheric emission. We find that for heating scenarios consistent with the DEM, classical signatures of energy release, such as transition region brightenings and chromospheric evaporation, are weak, suggesting that they would be difficult to detect.