Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A factor analytic structure of the conceptions of mathematics scale among pre-service mathematics teachers in South-West Nigeria

An exploration of factor analytic structure of the conceptions of mathematics scale among pre-service mathematics teachers in South-West Nigeria was conducted as evidence suggests paucity of research on psychometric properties of the conceptions of mathematics scale in Nigeria.This article through instrumentation research methodology reports the reliability and validity of the Conceptions of Mathematics Scale based on the responses of 228 pre-service mathematics teachers from five public universities in South-West Nigeria. The reliability assessed as internal consistency produced a Cronbach alpha of . 88. A principal components exploration with varimax gyration established the validity of the scale as two-component archetypal accounting for 48.9% of the total variance. The dimensions were taken as Patchy Formations and Unified Formations of mathematics, as explicated in the original and other replicating studies. The factor solution could be compared to that recounted in the previous studies; hence the outcome showed the need to adopt the scale in the Nigerian context, as the pedagogy implemented during the teaching and learning of mathematics can influence students’ conceptions of mathematics. Thus, teaching mathematics with rules-based and algorithm-dependent teacher-centered pedagogies might result into rote memorization thereby leading to patchy formations while teaching mathematics as a meaningful subject full of applications to the real life could engender conceptual understanding leading to unified formations. The implication of this study is that students with patchy formation are connected with surface approaches to learning while those with unified formation of mathematics are connected with deep approaches to learning and engaging mathematics.
Global Survey of Precipitation Properties Observed during Tropical Cyclogenesis and Their Differences Compared to Nondeveloping Disturbances

This study evaluates precipitation properties involved in tropical cyclogenesis by analyzing a multiyear, global database of passive microwave overpasses of the pregenesis stage of developing disturbances and nondeveloping disturbances. Precipitation statistics are quantified using brightness temperature proxies from the 85–91-GHz channels of multiple spaceborne sensors, as well as retrieved rain rates. Proxies focus on the overall raining area, areal coverage of deep convection, and the proximity of precipitation to the disturbance center. Of interest are the differences in those proxies for developing versus nondeveloping disturbances, how the properties evolve during the pregenesis stage, and how they differ globally. The results indicate that, of all of the proxies examined, the total raining area and rain volume near the circulation center are the most useful precipitation-related predictors for genesis. The areal coverage of deep convection also differentiates developing from nondeveloping disturbances and, similar to the total raining area, generally also increases during the pregenesis stage, particularly within a day of genesis. As the threshold convective intensity is increased, pregenesis cases are less distinguishable from nondeveloping disturbances. Relative to the western Pacific and Indian Oceans, the Atlantic and eastern North Pacific Oceans have less precipitation and deep convection observed during genesis and the smallest differences between developing and nondeveloping disturbances. This suggests that the total raining area and areal coverage of deep convection associated with tropical disturbances are better predictors of tropical cyclogenesis fate in the Pacific and Indian Oceans than in the Atlantic and eastern North Pacific.
Deep-Reinforcement-Learning-Based Autonomous UAV Navigation With Sparse Rewards

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential in delivering Internet-of-Things (IoT) services from a great height, creating an airborne domain of the IoT. In this article, we address the problem of autonomous UAV navigation in large-scale complex environments by formulating it as a Markov decision process with sparse rewards and propose an algorithm named deep reinforcement learning (RL) with nonexpert helpers (LwH). In contrast to prior RL-based methods that put huge efforts into reward shaping, we adopt the sparse reward scheme, i.e., a UAV will be rewarded if and only if it completes navigation tasks. Using the sparse reward scheme ensures that the solution is not biased toward potentially suboptimal directions. However, having no intermediate rewards hinders the agent from efficient learning since informative states are rarely encountered. To handle the challenge, we assume that a prior policy (nonexpert helper) that might be of poor performance is available to the learning agent. The prior policy plays the role of guiding the agent in exploring the state space by reshaping the behavior policy used for environmental interaction. It also assists the agent in achieving goals by setting dynamic learning objectives with increasing difficulty. To evaluate our proposed method, we construct a simulator for UAV navigation in large-scale complex environments and compare our algorithm with several baselines. Experimental results demonstrate that LwH significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithms handling sparse rewards and yields impressive navigation policies comparable to those learned in the environment with dense rewards.
TDP-43 dysfunction restricts dendritic complexity by inhibiting CREB activation and altering gene expression

Significance TDP-43 is an RNA-binding protein closely associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We have previously shown that TDP-43 dysfunction leads to reduced dendritic complexity. In this study, we apply the recently developed genetic approach TRIBE (targets of RNA-binding proteins identified by editing) to identify the RNAs that are bound by TDP-43 in neurons. Of the many TDP-43 target RNAs identified, we observed that mRNAs encoding proteins related to the CREB signaling pathway are enriched. Next, we were able to rescue the dendritic complexity defect caused by TDP-43 dysfunction by restoring CREB signaling. Our study may provide pathways for therapeutic intervention in TDP-43−associated neurodegenerative diseases. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are two related neurodegenerative diseases that present with similar TDP-43 pathology in patient tissue. TDP-43 is an RNA-binding protein which forms aggregates in neurons of ALS and FTD patients as well as in a subset of patients diagnosed with other neurodegenerative diseases. Despite our understanding that TDP-43 is essential for many aspects of RNA metabolism, it remains obscure how TDP-43 dysfunction contributes to neurodegeneration. Interestingly, altered neuronal dendritic morphology is a common theme among several neurological disorders and is thought to precede neurodegeneration. We previously found that both TDP-43 overexpression (OE) and knockdown (KD) result in reduced dendritic branching of cortical neurons. In this study, we used TRIBE (targets of RNA-binding proteins identified by editing) as an approach to identify signaling pathways that regulate dendritic branching downstream of TDP-43. We found that TDP-43 RNA targets are enriched for pathways that signal to the CREB transcription factor. We further found that TDP-43 dysfunction inhibits CREB activation and CREB transcriptional output, and restoring CREB signaling rescues defects in dendritic branching. Finally, we demonstrate, using RNA sequencing, that TDP-43 OE and KD cause similar changes in the abundance of specific messenger RNAs, consistent with their ability to produce similar morphological defects. Our data therefore provide a mechanism by which TDP-43 dysfunction interferes with dendritic branching, and may define pathways for therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative diseases.
Research skills in upper secondary education and in first year of university

ABSTRACT The acquisition of research skills is an important goal of secondary education. Still, insights on what learner characteristics stimulate and hamper research skills are lacking. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between students’ research skills (assessed by means of the Leuven Research Skills Test (LRST) and students’ gender, educational track, grade, autonomous and controlled motivation. The LRST was administered to 405 11th and 12th grade students, and to 156 first-year university students in Flanders. Multiple regression analyses reveal a significant relationship of grade and track with students’ research skills in upper secondary education. Also in higher education, a significant relationship was found between students’ former educational track and their research skills. In both groups, no significant differences were found in research skills based on gender and on students’ controlled and autonomous motivation. This study contributes to future research by stressing the importance of curricular characteristics for fostering students' research skills.
Compliance or Defiance?

Whereas the global water community may have reached consensus on the need for water providers to operate on the basis of commercial principles, staff of water utilities are faced with the challenge of implementing these principles in their everyday work. In the everyday domain, these principles appear to directly conflict with the mandate of water operators to provide water services to all. Moreover, the socio-political, economic and bio-physical context in which these water operate may be ill-suited to implement commercialization. In pursuing commercialization these operators adapt, reinterpret, modify, deflect, alter or betray the original principles of commercialization during implementation. This research takes inspiration from the rich literature on policy implementation and policy translation, which argues that policy models need to be transformed and modified if they are to be successfully adopted or implemented. This research analyzes the alterations visible in the daily implementation of commercial models of water provisioning and, in doing so, present a better understanding of how water operators implement policy prescriptions of commercialization in practice. Based on the analysis of the adaptations and (re)interpretations of the implemented model of commercialization in the different cases, this thesis argues that a new way of speaking about commercialization should be developed.
Cichorium intybus from India: GC-MS Profiling, Phenolic Content and in vitro Antioxidant Capacity of Sequential Soxhlet Extracted Roasted Roots

Research on the bio-activities and chemical composition of roasted C. intybus roots from India is very little. In present studies GC-MS analysis of volatile components of roasted C. intybus roots, phenolics and flavonoid content estimation and antioxidant potential of roasted C. intybus roots was carried out. Antioxidant potential was also evaluated using FRAP, DPPH, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide and superoxide free radical scavenging method. Extracts were prepared by sequential Soxhlet extraction. GC-MS analysis of volatile components of roasted C. intybus root extracts revealed that 5hydroxymethyl furfural was major volatile component in dichloromethane and methanol extract whereas lupeol and its derivative compounds were major constituents of hexane extract. Quantitative estimation for total phenols and flavonoids showed that the methanol extract of C. intybus roots contained highest phenolic and flavonoid content as compared to other extracts and also showed strong radical scavenging activities which were comparable with ascorbic acid used as standard. All extracts showed IC50 values less than 0.6 mg/mL furthermore, extracts of roasted C. intybus showed the high total antioxidant potential for the reduction of Fe to Fe. The C. intybus roots possess good antioxidant capacity even after roasting and all the extracts showed good activities. HIGHLIGHTS  The chicory roots possessed antioxidant property even in roasted form.  The roasted roots are rich source of total phenolics and flavonoids  Antioxidant activity show a positive relation with total phenolics and flavonoids content  Methanol was best solvent for extraction of chicory roots for studied parameters 2 Singh, R. ; Chahal, K.K Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology. Vol.62: e19180370, 2019 www.scielo. br/babt Keyword Antioxidant potential; Chicory; Chemical Composition; Solvent extracts.
Case Based Learning Versus Problem Based Learning: A Direct Comparison From First Year Medical Students Perspective

Background: Case-based learning (CBL) is an educational paradigm closely related to the problem based learning (PBL) that uses a guided inquiry method and provides structure during small-group discussions. To date, no studies have directly compared PBL and CBL from medical students’ perspective in developing countries. Aim: To compare first year medical students’ attitudes to CBL versus PBL after alternating the teaching methods during several teaching sessions. Methods: After conducting several PBL sessions, students were introduced to CBL where the facilitator played an important role during the small group discussion sessions. At the end of all the CBL sessions, students filled a questionnaire form that sought opinions on (i) rating of CBL model as a tool in understanding concepts’ compared with regular teaching sessions and PBL (ii) global analysis of CBL on 4-point likert scale (iii) overall remarks about CBL. Gender differences in the level of attitudes and perceptions towards the CBL program were evaluated by logistic regression (enter method). Results: A total of 88 first year medical students took part in the questionnaire. Majority of the students’ rated CBL in understanding concepts as “good” compared with both regular teaching sessions as well as PBL. Majority of the students’ rated ‘‘agree’’ on a 4-point likert scale for ‘‘motivation by CBL to work more in th is sub ject ’ ’ , ‘ ‘ improvement o f problem-solving skills using CBL”, “CBL as a worthwhile progression from PBL”, etc. Female students responded more positively towards CBL than male students. Conclusion: Students viewed the constructs of CBL better than PBL.
From Austenitic Stainless Steel to Expanded Austenite-S Phase: Formation, Characteristics and Properties of an Elusive Metastable Phase

Austenitic stainless steels are employed in many industrial fields, due to their excellent corrosion resistance, easy formability and weldability. However, their low hardness, poor tribological properties and the possibility of localized corrosion in specific environments may limit their use. Conventional thermochemical surface treatments, such as nitriding or carburizing, are able to enhance surface hardness, but at the expense of corrosion resistance, owing to the formation of chromium-containing precipitates. An effective alternative is the so called low temperature treatments, which are performed with nitrogen- and/or carbon-containing media at temperatures, at which chromium mobility is low and the formation of precipitates is hindered. As a consequence, interstitial atoms are retained in solid solution in austenite, and a metastable supersaturated phase forms, named expanded austenite or S phase. Since the first studies, dating 1980s, the S phase has demonstrated to have high hardness and good corrosion resistance, but also other interesting properties and an elusive structure. In this review the main studies on the formation and characteristics of S phase are summarized and the results of the more recent research are also discussed. Together with mechanical, fatigue, tribological and corrosion resistance properties of this phase, electric and magnetic properties, wettability and biocompatibility are overviewed.
The Effectiveness of Diabetic Shared Medical Appointments to Improve Access and Outcomes

Diabetes in Appalachia is a health problem with escalating incidence and cost. The increased aging population and inadequate healthy life choices are main contributors to the diabetes epidemic. As the incidence of diabetes increases, the current one-to-one, patient-toprovider health care delivery system is insufficient to meet the needs of persons with diabetes. Furthermore, as the prevalence of diabetes increases, the access to endocrinologists in northern West Virginia becomes more limited. Increased incidence and decreased access results in poor health outcomes, increased medical costs, and patient and provider dissatisfaction with the health care system. The shared medical appointment (SMA) is an evidence-based approach to health care delivery that provides improved access to care, improved outcomes for patients with diabetes, and reduced cost, while improving patient and provider satisfaction. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to improve patient access to endocrinology care, improve adherence to the ADA standards of care, and improve patient and staff satisfaction with the health care delivery system via implementation of SMAs at an endocrinologist’s office in northern West Virginia. The Chronic Care Model (CCM) was used to guide the project. Two cohorts of patients met 11 times at one month intervals. Each SMA consisted of two hour sessions, providing both individual patient-to-provider time, and group meetings. The evaluation of the project was based on increased patient access, adherence to the ADA standards of care, and patient and provider satisfaction. Access to care was increased by 38 more participants. There was no change in adherence to ADA standards of care. Both patient and staff satisfaction indicated statistically significant positive difference between patient/staff satisfaction from pre-
Effect of Educational Program on Nurses’performance Regarding Patients with Acute Pancreatitis

Background: Acute pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas that results in auto-digestion by its own pancreatic enzymes. The educational program is considered to be an important means to provide nurses with theoretical and technical information needed to acquire skills and competencies necessary to continually improve nursing practice. Objective: Theaim of this study was to evaluate effectof educational program on nurses 'performance regarding patients with acute pancreatitis. Design: A quasi-experimental research design was used to conduct this research. Setting: The study was conducted in intensive care unit at Assiut University Rajhy Hospital for Liver. Subjects: All available nurses about 40 nurses. Tools: Data were collected using: tool1 nurse’s knowledge assessment questionnaire, tool II nurse’s observation checklist. The Results revealed that majority of the nurses their age less than 40 years old, with mean age of 25.98±6.46, female, where about 52.5% of study nurses had married. The majority of nurses had unsatisfactory total knowledge pre education program. It improved immediately post education program. Conclusion: The study concluded that the education program lead to significant improvement in nurses' knowledge and practice about acute pancreatitis. Recommendation: Continues educational nursingprogram about care of acute pancreatitis patients.
Decision making strategy for antenatal echographic screening of foetal abnormalities using statistical learning

Dans cette these, nous proposons une methode pour construire un outil d'aide a la decision pour le diagnostic de maladie rare. Nous cherchons a minimiser le nombre de tests medicaux necessaires pour atteindre un etat ou l'incertitude concernant la maladie du patient est inferieure a un seuil predetermine. Ce faisant, nous tenons compte de la necessite dans de nombreuses applications medicales, d'eviter autant que possible, tout diagnostic errone. Pour resoudre cette tâche d'optimisation, nous etudions plusieurs algorithmes d'apprentissage par renforcement et les rendons operationnels pour notre probleme de tres grande dimension. Pour cela nous decomposons le probleme initial sous la forme de plusieurs sous-problemes et montrons qu'il est possible de tirer partie des intersections entre ces sous-tâches pour accelerer l'apprentissage. Les strategies apprises se revelent bien plus performantes que des strategies gloutonnes classiques. Nous presentons egalement une facon de combiner les connaissances d'experts, exprimees sous forme de probabilites conditionnelles, avec des donnees cliniques. Il s'agit d'un aspect crucial car la rarete des donnees pour les maladies rares empeche toute approche basee uniquement sur des donnees cliniques. Nous montrons, tant theoriquement qu'empiriquement, que l'estimateur que nous proposons est toujours plus performant que le meilleur des deux modeles (expert ou donnees) a une constante pres. Enfin nous montrons qu'il est possible d'integrer efficacement des raisonnements tenant compte du niveau de granularite des symptomes renseignes tout en restant dans le cadre probabiliste developpe tout au long de ce travail.
Role of Information and Communication Technology and Women’s Empowerment in Contraceptive Discontinuation in Indonesia

Objectives This study investigated the role of information and communication technology and women’s empowerment in contraceptive discontinuation in Indonesia. Methods The study used data from the 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey and monthly contraceptive calendar data. A Gompertz proportional hazards model was used for analysis. Results The 12-month contraceptive discontinuation rate was higher among women who had used the Internet in the past year, women who were mobile phone owners, and women who reported having fully participated in household decision-making than among their counterparts. These factors significantly impacted the risk of contraceptive discontinuation in Indonesia, even after controlling for contraceptive method, age, parity, contraceptive intent, education, work status, place of residence, and wealth status. Conclusions After adjustment for the control variables, a higher risk of contraceptive discontinuation was associated with having used the Internet in the past year, owning a mobile phone, and not participating in household decision-making. Higher contraceptive discontinuation risk was also associated with using contraceptive pills, older age, lower parity, intent of spacing births, more education, current unemployment, and rural residence, and the risk was also significantly higher for those in the lowest household wealth quintile than for those in the fourth household wealth quintile. The association of contraceptive discontinuation with the use of modern information and communication technology and relatively disempowerment in household decision-making may imply that information regarding family planning and contraception should be conveyed via social media as part of setting up an eHealth system. This must include a strong communication strategy to empower and educate women in contraceptive decision-making.