Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Keeley Probes as a Tool for Uncovering Student Ideas: How Do Teachers Use Formative Assessment Probes to Plan and Adapt Instruction?

Formative assessment probes, known as Keeley probes, are one tool teachers use to reveal students’ scientific misconceptions, so that they can move them closer to conceptual understanding. The purpose of this research was to document how four elementary school teachers used formative assessment probes to plan and adapt instruction to improve student learning. Specifically: • How did teachers choose appropriate probes? What learning goals did teachers hope to address by using the probe? • What instructional sequences did teachers envision when planning to use a probe? • What did teachers notice when analyzing student data from a probe? • How did teachers use the information to modify their instructional practice? This exploratory study addresses key issues by exploring through qualitative methods how four elementary teachers used Keeley formative assessment probes in the classroom through a series of individual and group interviews. The results, reported as case studies and themes, indicate that Keeley probes may be used to help teachers strengthen their pedagogical content knowledge and as an anchor for classroom discussions. Teachers reported that students were highly engaged when considering Keeley probing questions. Teachers in this study had questions about how to analyze data collected through formative assessment, and what instructional steps they needed to take to address misconceptions.
The Critical Role Played by Mitochondrial MITF Serine 73 Phosphorylation in Immunologically Activated Mast Cells

In recent years, growing evidence has indicated the pivotal role of mitochondria in mast cell immunological activation. We have previously reported a decrease in degranulation and cytokine secretion following the inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) either by CPI-613 (PDH inhibitor/anti-cancer drug) or through its interaction with mitochondrial microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). In the present study, we further explored the role played by mitochondrial MITF in mast cell exocytosis using rat basophil leukemia cells [RBL], as well as mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs). Here, we report that mast cell degranulation, cytokine secretion and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) activities were associated with phosphorylation of Serine 73 of mitochondrial MITF, controlled by extracellular signals regulated by protein kinase (ERK1/2) activity. Also, we report here that decreased OXPHOS activity following ERK1/2 inhibition (U0126 treatment) during IgE-Ag activation was mediated by the dephosphorylation of Serine 73 mitochondrial MITF, which inhibited its association with PDH. This led to a reduction in mast cell reactivity. In addition, a phosphorylation-mimicking mitochondrial MITF-S73D positively regulated the mitochondrial activity, thereby supporting mast cell degranulation. Thus, the present research findings highlight the prominence of mitochondrial MITF Serine 73 phosphorylation in immunologically activated mast cells.
A New System for Periprosthetic Fracture Stabilization—A Biomechanical Comparison

In recent years, an increase in periprosthetic femur fractures has become apparent due to the increased number of hip replacements. In the case of Vancouver type B1 fractures, locking plate systems offer safe procedures. This study compared the distal lateral femur plate (LOQTEQ®, aap Implantate AG) with a standard L.I. S.S. LCP® (DePuy Synthes) regarding their biomechanical properties in fixation of periprosthetic femur fractures after hip arthroplasty. We hypothesized that the new LOQTEQ system has superior stability and durability in comparison. Eighteen artificial left femurs were randomized in two groups (Group A: LOQTEQ®; Group B: L.I.S.S. LCP®) and tested until failure. Failure was defined as 10° varus deformity and catastrophic implant failure (loosening, breakage, progressive bending). Axial stiffness, loads of failure, cycles of failure, modes of failure were recorded. The axial stiffness in Group A with 73.4 N/mm (SD +/− 3.0) was significantly higher (p = 0.001) than in Group B (40.7 N/mm (SD +/− 2.8)). Group A resists more cycles than Group B until 10° varus deformity. Catastrophic failure mode was plate breakage in Group A and bending in Group B. In conclusion, LOQTEQ® provides higher primary stability and tends to have higher durability.
The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Developing Employability Skills of Saudi Graduates Amidst Saudi 2030 Vision

In alignment with sustainable goals outlined by Saudi Vision 2030, the research paper aimed to investigate the views on employability skills in higher education by exploring the perceptions of Saudi students and education leaders. The study’s qualitative design caters to the exploration of the practical significance of employability skills and attributes of Saudi graduates as a function allowing to address unemployment and strengthen the economy. The researchers analyzed two sets of qualitative data collected from a sample of Saudi students (n=49) and a sample of education leaders (n=6) with the help of Likert-scale questionnaires and open-ended questionnaires, respectively. Corroborated with the scholarly evidence, the explorative analysis of the data showed the practical significance of employability skills of Saudi graduates for achieving the country’s economic goals through the means of sustainable employability. Overall, the results are consistent with the current scholarship on the topic suggesting that all stakeholders should partake in the development of initiatives and programs that hone transversal employability skills. In the context of Saudi Arabia, the ongoing unemployment crisis necessitates the introduction of a national policy that would formulate a collaborative agreement between the three main stakeholders - employment-seekers, employers, and higher education institutions.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF HUMAN FOOT DURING HEEL RISE: ROLE OF THE GASTROCNEMIUS-SOLEUS (G-S) MUSCLE

Geometric positioning of the foot and transfer of plantar loads can be adversely affected when muscular control in gastrocnemius-soleus (G-S) complex is abnormal. This study aims to develop a 3-D musculoskeletal finite element (FE) model of the foot to quantify the precise role of the G-S complex in biomechanical behavior of the foot. Movements of the ankle and metatarsophlageal joints, as well as forefoot plantar pressure peaks and pressure distribution under the metatarsal heads (MTHs) were all found to be extremely sensitive to reduction in the muscle load in the G-S complex. The findings may provide clinicians with knowledge to understand the underlying mechanism for relieving pain, injury or other structural deformities under metatarsal areas in patients who suffer from GS muscle contracture.
The influence of biological and statistical properties of CpGs on epigenetic predictions of eighteen traits

Background CpG methylation levels can help to explain inter-individual differences in phenotypic traits. Few studies have explored whether identifying CpG subsets based on biological and statistical properties can maximise predictions while minimising array content. Methods Variance component analyses and penalised regression (epigenetic predictors) were used to test the influence of (i) the number of CpGs considered, (ii) mean CpG methylation variability and (iii) methylation QTL status on the variance captured in eighteen traits by blood DNA methylation. Training and test sets comprised ≤4,450 and ≤2,578 unrelated individuals from Generation Scotland, respectively. Results As the number of CpG sites under consideration decreased, so too did the estimates from the variance components and prediction analyses. Methylation QTL status and mean CpG variability did not influence variance components. However, relative effect sizes were 15% larger for epigenetic predictors based on CpGs with methylation QTLs compared to sites without methylation QTLs. Relative effect sizes were 45% larger for predictors based on CpGs with mean beta-values between 10%-90% compared to those using hypo- or hypermethylated CpGs (beta-value ≤10% or ≥90%). Conclusion Arrays with fewer CpGs could reduce costs, leading to increased sample sizes for analyses. Our results show that reducing array content can restrict prediction metrics and careful attention must be given to the biological and distribution properties of CpGs in array content selection.
An experimental study of the vision-bottleneck in VQA

As in many tasks combining vision and language, both modalities play a crucial role in Visual Question Answering (VQA). To properly solve the task, a given model should both understand the content of the proposed image and the nature of the question. While the fusion between modalities, which is another obviously important part of the problem, has been highly studied, the vision part has received less attention in recent work. Current state-of-the-art methods for VQA mainly rely on off-the-shelf object detectors delivering a set of object bounding boxes and embeddings, which are then combined with question word embeddings through a reasoning module. In this paper, we propose an in-depth study of the vision-bottleneck in VQA, experimenting with both the quantity and quality of visual objects extracted from images. We also study the impact of two methods to incorporate the information about objects necessary for answering a question, in the reasoning module directly, and earlier in the object selection stage. This work highlights the importance of vision in the context of VQA, and the interest of tailoring vision methods used in VQA to the task at hand.
Effect of phyto-components of Allium sativum and Syzyginum aromaticum on the performance and biochemical indices in grower broiler chickens

The potentials of Allium sativum and Syzyginum aromaticum on the performance and immunocompetence of grower broiler chickens was focused in this study. A total of one hundred and five (105) day old broiler chicks(Anak breed) were used in the study. Broiler starter diet was used to managed the birds until they attained five weeks of age. Thereafter, they were randomly allotted to seven treatments of 15 birds of three replicate each. To the treatments T1- T5: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 g Kg-1 garlic-clove blend was supplemented, while 5g Kg-1 garlic alone (T6) and 2g Kg-1 clove alone (T7) were supplemented to the diets. Water, and supplemented feed were offered ad libitum. The duration of the experiment lasted to five weeks. Phytochemical analysis of the two spices revealed the presence of Alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, phenols, terpenoids, anthraquinones and tannins, while, quantitative phytochemical screening showed high amount of Alkaloids (7.20 ± 0.05mg/100g), tannins (4.80 ± 0.03mg/100g), saponins (4.30 ± 0.02 mg/100g), flavonoids (2.18 ± 0.03), and anthraquinones (1.40 ± 0.03 mg/100g). The proximate analysis of Syzyginum aromaticum also revealed high amount of Carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) (52.2 ± 0.02), fibre (20.00 ± 0.1), fats (12.1 ± 0.45) and ash (5.2 ± 0.01). The Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) in all the treatments was comparable to the control and better in T2, T5, T6 and T7. There was no significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) in the serum Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and serum Glutamate Oxalate Transaminase (SGOT) between the treatments and the control group. The serum total protein and the serum albumin in the treated groups were not significantly different ((P≤ 0.05) while the serum globulin differ (P≤ 0.05) between the treatments and the control groups. The performance characteristics and serum biochemical indices displayed by the experimental birds clearly showed the potency of these spices in improving the immuno-competence of the experimental birds.
Spaces for People: Technology, improvisation and social interaction in the music of Pauline Oliveros

The composer Pauline Oliveros emphasised that her music was a by-product of a larger humanistic project aimed at raising awareness and sensitivity through social interaction and community-building. In this article, I highlight the role of technology in facilitating social interaction in improvisatory contexts by considering three examples that span Oliveros’s career: the composition In Memoriam: Nikola Tesla, Cosmic Engineer; her telematic performances; and the Adaptive Use Musical Instrument (AUMI) project. In each of these examples, technological mediation transforms musical and social interaction in unpredictable ways, presenting obstacles that require participants to work cooperatively to resolve them. This intensification of Oliveros’s larger project is considered through several complementary theoretical frameworks, including Don Ihde’s theory of technological mediation, Daniel Belgrad’s concept of deutero-learning in improvisation and Georgina Born’s orders of social mediation in music. By deploying technology in visible – rather than invisible – ways, and by inviting participants to adapt to and even embrace unexpected elements that might otherwise be regarded as limitations, Oliveros’s work reveals how technology can simultaneously be understood as an affordance for music-making and an extension of a deeply social and community-oriented endeavour.
Socio-Economic Impacts of Road Infrastructure Development During- and Post-Construction in a Fast-Growing City in Nigeria

Road infrastructure is vital to the development of any human settlement and thus it remains an integral part of the municipalities’ annual budget. Despite the numerous benefits road infrastructure development (RID) offers, its development imposes negative impacts. While literature is replete with studies on socio-economic impacts of RID at post-construction stage, attention has not been paid to impacts during construction. Consequently, this study aims at analysing the socio-economic impacts of RID duringand post-construction in Abeokuta city in Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was utilised in sample selection for the study. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were adopted for data analysis with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings from the descriptive analysis indicated that residents were adversely impacted during construction in areas such as business activities, travel rate, property value, vehicle condition and community health. Regression analysis revealed road development statistically impact on socio-economic activities during construction with three out of nine predictors: transport fare (p=0.009), business activities (p=0.015), and community health (0.031) exerting the major influence. Also, at post-construction stage, regression analysis revealed road development statistically impact the socio-economic activities with four of the nine predictors: transport fare (p=0.042), business activities (p=0.009), community health (p=0.035), and property value (p=0.003) exerting the most significant influence. Student t-test results showed that statistical difference existed between ‘during construction’ and ‘post-construction’ impacts regarding property value, business activities, community health and transport fare. Finally, the study suggested ways to mitigate problems associated with RID, particularly during construction.
Paper Title (use style: paper title)

As the amount of volatile, renewable energy sources in power distribution grids is increasing, the stability of the latter is a vital aspect for grid operators. Within the STABEEL project, the authors develop rules on how to parametrize the reactive power control of distributed energy resources to increase the performance while guaranteeing stability. The work focuses on distribution grids with a high penetration of distributed energy resources equipped with Q(U)-characteristic. This contribution is based on the stability assessment of previous work and introduces a new approach utilizing the circle criterion. With the aim of extending existing technical guidelines, stability assessment methods are applied to various distribution grids – including those from the SimBench project. Herein, distributed energy resources can be modelled as detailed control loops or as approximations, derived from technical guidelines.
Environmental heterogeneity compensates the potential homogenising effect of abandonment of grazing in a sub-Mediterranean mountain landscape

ABSTRACT Background Anthropogenic mountain grasslands undergo major changes in their composition and structure after abandonment of their use as pastures or hay meadows. Distinct plant community-types may develop in habitats that differ in environmental conditions, such as soil water availability; however, few studies have addressed this issue in abandoned anthropogenic grasslands. Aims To quantify the effects of topographic factors and variables related to soil water availability on α and β taxonomic diversity (TD) and functional diversity (FD) to assess the role of landform heterogeneity in shaping vegetation structure. Methods We classified the vegetation of long-abandoned central Apennine pastures and related their species composition and diversity to environmental variables. Results We identified four community-types whose distribution was related to topographically determined soil water availability. The species composition of drought-tolerant communities on south-eastern slopes with shallow soils was largely similar to that of anthropogenic grasslands. Resource-poor conditions were related to enhanced α-TD and β-TD and reduced α-FD for traits related to temporal niche differentiation and resource acquisition strategies. Conclusion In long-abandoned sub-Mediterranean grasslands, landform heterogeneity guarantees a certain level of TD and FD at the landscape scale, contrasting the assumed role of abandonment of grazing on homogenisation of vegetation features.
Social Media Usage Intensity and Academic Performance among Undergraduate Students in Saudi Arabia

As the statistics show, use of social media networks (SMNs) are very common among college students worldwide. According to a report by Hootsuite, Saudi Arabia was ranked as the number-one country in the growth of social media users. With the advancement of technology and internet speed, investigating how SMNs affect students has become an absolute necessity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of social media networks (SMNs) on the academic performance of undergraduate students across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, taking gender differences into account. An invitation email to participate in the online survey was sent to all undergraduate students at five public universities in Saudi Arabia. In total, 453 students from five public universities participated in this study. The results suggested that female students tend to spend more time on SMNs for general purposes and academic purposes than male students. In regard to multitasking with SMNs during schoolwork and social media usage intensity, the results showed no significant differences between male and female students. Finally, the regression analysis showed a positive relationship between students’ academic performance and SMNs usage intensity after gender and high school GPA were controlled for.
Land Consolidation Considering Natural Afforestation

The article highlights the problem of natural agricultural-land afforestation with insufficient forest cover of the area. The article purports to substantiate land consolidation aimed at the rationalisation of agricultural and forest land management in such conditions. The authors identify the main approaches to the issue of natural agricultural land afforestation. The afforested areas of agricultural land are suggested for redesignation as a forest resource as a result of a swap and reallotment of land plots. As an example, consolidation of available land, in the conditions of natural afforestation, has been accomplished based on a number of land masses in Chernihiv Oblast’, Ukraine. Resulting from the project implementation, better configuration and improved layout of agricultural land plots have been achieved, while the length and placement of country lanes have been optimized. The reforested agricultural areas within the specific land mass have been redesignated as a forest resource. The advantages and disadvantages of natural afforestation in land consolidation are identified in contrast to alternative approaches.The research findings can be used by territorial communities in the upgrade of land management practices, laying out and redesign of landscape parks and other nature conservation areas that include areas of business activity.
Noninvasive Genetics Knowledge from the Brown Bear Populations to Assist Biodiversity Conservation

Genetic monitoring has proven helpful in estimating species presence and abundance, and detecting trends in genetic diversity, to be incorporated in providing data and recommendations to management authorities for action and policy development. We reviewed 148 genetics research papers conducted on the bear species worldwide retrieved from Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. This review aims to reveal sampling methodology and data collection instructions, and to unveil innovative noninvasively genetic monitoring techniques that may be integrated into the genetic monitoring of a large bear population. In North American studies, hair samples were collected more often than faeces, whereas in Europe, both faeces and hair samples surveys are recommended, usually focusing on faeces. The use of the Isohelix sample collection method, previously tested locally and, if suitable, applied at the national level, could generate numerous advantages by reducing shortcomings. Additionally, dogs trained for faeces sampling could be used in parallel with hunting managers, foresters, and volunteers for sample collection organised during autumn and winter. It was stated that this is the best period in terms of cost-efficiency and high quality of the gathered samples. We conclude that large-scale noninvasive genetic monitoring of a large bear population represents a challenge; nevertheless, it provides valuable insights for biodiversity monitoring and actions to respond to climate change.
DetectS
ec: Evaluating the robustness of object detection models to adversarial attacks

Despite their tremendous success in various machine learning tasks, deep neural networks (DNNs) are inherently vulnerable to adversarial examples, which are maliciously crafted inputs to cause DNNs to misbehave. Intensive research has been conducted on this phenomenon in simple tasks (e.g., image classification). However, little is known about this adversarial vulnerability for object detection, a much more complicated task, which often requires specialized DNNs and multiple additional components. In this paper, we present DetectSec, a uniform platform for robustness analysis of object detection models. Currently, DetectSec implements 13 representative adversarial attacks with 7 utility metrics and 13 defenses on 18 standard object detection models. Leveraging DetectSec, we conduct the first rigorous evaluation of adversarial attacks on the state‐of‐the‐art object detection models. We analyze the impact of the factors including DNN architecture and capacity on the model robustness. We show that many conclusions about adversarial attacks and defenses in image classification tasks do not transfer to object detection tasks, for example, the targeted attack is stronger than the untargeted attack for two‐stage detectors. Our findings will aid future efforts in understanding and defending against adversarial attacks in complicated tasks. In addition, we compare the robustness of different detection models and discuss their relative strengths and weaknesses. The platform DetectSec will be open source as a unique facility for further research on adversarial attacks and defenses in object detection tasks.