Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring the relationship between 8th graders' assertiveness levels and family functions

This research has been conducted to examine the relationship between primary school 8th grade students’ levels of assertiveness and a) family function b) socio-demographic variables. In the research with the family assessment scale, rathus assertiveness and socio-demographic properties inventory has been used. The personal information form has been used for socio-demographic variables according to family assessment functions and social demographic properties, the students’ levels of assertiveness have been studied whether significantly differentiate (p<.05/p<.01) or not. Socio-demographic properties are gender, number of siblings, birth order, self-confidence and lack of self-confıdence, parents’ education level, and family income level. In the sample group there are 195 girl students and 236 boy students classes of the society totally 431 students form the sample group. As a result, the level of assertiveness doesn’t change according to the gender. Terms of roles, affective involvement and behaviour control, male students have higher average scores than female students. Generally the students who have got two siblings, have lower scores than the other number of siblings group (1,3,4,6); in terms of the relationship between the family function and assertiveness, the overall high scores have been found to cause a decrease in the communication, roles and general functions (sub-family functıons) of the 8th grade students’ levels of assertiveness.
Jump-Starting the Socialization Experience: The Longitudinal Role of Day 1 Newcomer Resources on Adjustment

We examine the newcomer adjustment patterns of 985 new hires at a Fortune 500 technology organization across their first year on the job. Data were collected from newcomers, their managers, and company records from organizational entry (employee’s first day) to the end of the first year of employment. We examined, first, whether newcomer resources (material, personal, social, and status resources) related to early newcomer adjustment levels (role clarity, task mastery, and acceptance) and rates of adjustment and, second, how newcomer resources and the rate of adjustment related to manager ratings of newcomer adjustment at 9 and 12 months post-entry. The average of every adjustment variable was higher at the latest data collection point, indicating that time was on newcomers’ side and was related, overall, to higher adjustment levels. Finally, we explored which resources related to the three newcomer adjustment indicators and the shapes adjustment trajectories took depending on resources at organizational entry. Results indicated that personal resources (proactive personality, optimism, and organizational knowledge) were related to early adjustment. Regarding material resources, having a work station ready the first day on the job was related to adjustment. For social resources, meeting one’s manager the first day on the job was related to early social acceptance. For status resources, greater newcomer job level was unexpectedly not related to early adjustment. We found partial support for the direct relationships between early adjustment levels or adjustment rates and manager ratings of adjustment at 9 months but limited support for manager ratings of adjustment at 12 months.
Crossmodal metaperception: Visual and tactile confidence share a common scale

Perceptual decisions are typically accompanied by a subjective sense of (un)certainty. There is robust evidence that observers have access to a reliable estimate of their own uncertainty and can judge the validity of their perceptual decisions. However, there is still a debate to what extent these meta-perceptual judgements underly a common mechanism that can monitor perceptual decisions across different sensory modalities. It has been suggested that perceptual confidence can be evaluated on an abstract scale that is not only task-independent but also modality-independent. We aimed to scrutinize these findings by measuring visual contrast and tactile vibration discrimination thresholds in a confidence forced-choice task. A total of 56 participants took part in our study. We determined thresholds for trials in which perceptual decisions were chosen as confident and for those that were declined as confident. Confidence comparisons were made between perceptual decisions either within the visual and tactile modality, respectively, or across both modalities. Furthermore, we assessed executive functions to explore a possible link between cognitive control and meta-perceptual capacities. We found that perceptual performance was a good predictor of confidence judgments and that the threshold modulation was similarly pronounced in both modalities. Most importantly, participants compared their perceptual confidence across visual and tactile decisions with the same precision as within the same modality. Cognitive control capacities were not related to meta-perceptual performance. In conclusion, our findings corroborate that perceptual uncertainty can be accessed on an abstract scale, allowing for confidence comparisons across sensory modalities.
‘I'm more afraid of racism than of the virus!’: racism awareness and resistance among Chinese migrants and their descendants in France during the Covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT This article focuses on the discrimination and racism experienced by Chinese migrants and their descendants during the Covid-19 pandemic. It analyses this group's increasing awareness and activism toward racial discrimination in French society. The paper is based on an empirical investigation using qualitative and quantitative research methods (online surveys and interviews) with people of Chinese origin living in France. In addition, qualitative data from news media and activists is also crucial to this study because of the important role they play in the social construction of the anti-racism movement. This study shows that the Covid-19 pandemic highlights how the discrimination and racism experienced by people of Chinese origin can take various forms. The epidemic has become a catalyst for Chinese immigration to resist racism, especially among descendants, and among more recent and highly-skilled Chinese immigrants, who have broken their silence, united, and participated in a more activist manner.
Resilience of Micropollutant and Biological Effect Removal in an Aerated Horizontal Flow Treatment Wetland

The performance of an aerated horizontal subsurface flow treatment wetland was investigated before, during and after a simulated aeration failure. Conventional wastewater parameters (e.g., carbonaceous biological oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and Escherichia coli) as well as selected micropollutants (caffeine, ibuprofen, naproxen, benzotriazole, diclofenac, acesulfame, and carbamazepine) were investigated. Furthermore, the removal of biological effects was investigated using in vitro bioassays. The six bioassays selected covered environmentally relevant endpoints (indicative of activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor, AhR; binding to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, PPARγ; activation of estrogen receptor alpha, ERα; activation of glucocorticoid receptor, GR; oxidative stress response, AREc32; combined algae test, CAT). During the aeration interruption phase, the water quality deteriorated to a degree comparable to that of a conventional (non-aerated) horizontal subsurface flow wetland. After the end of the aeration interruption, the analytical and biological parameters investigated recovered at different time periods until their initial treatment performance. Treatment efficacy for conventional parameters was recovered within a few days, but no complete recovery of treatment efficacy could be observed for bioassays AhR, AREc32 and CAT in the 21 days following re-start of the aeration system. Furthermore, the removal efficacy along the flow path for most of the chemicals and bioassays recovered as it was observed in the baseline phase. Only for the activation of AhR and AREc32 there was a shift of the internal treatment profile from 12.5% to 25% (AhR) and 50% (AREc32) of the fractional length.
Dynamics of bank capital ratios and risk-taking: Evidence from US commercial banks

Abstract This study aims to explore how different capital ratios influence the risk-taking of large commercial banks of the USA. The study collects the data from FDIC for commercial banks from 2003 to 2019. We use a two-step GMM method to manage the endogeneity, simultaneity, heteroscedasticity, and auto-correlations issue. The findings conclude that an increase in the risk-based capital ratios decreases the banks’ risks. Empirical findings demonstrated a significant and positive association between non-risk-based capital ratios and bank risk-taking. The findings also demonstrate that an increase in capital buffer ratios decreases the banks’ risks. The impact of capital ratios on risk-taking is heterogeneous for well and under-capitalized banks. The findings suggest that State-chartered member and non-member banks are inclined to take a higher risk than nationally chartered banks. The findings have implications for regulators to consider the State-chartered member, non-member, and nationally chartered banks while formulating the new guidelines for required capital ratios.
Tree Node Switching Algorithm for Minimum Energy Cost Aggregation Tree Problem in Wireless Sensor Networks

SUMMARY Data aggregation trees in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are being used for gathering data for various purposes. Especially for the trees within buildings or civil structures, the total amount of energy consumption in a tree must be reduced to save energy. Therefore, the minimum energy-cost aggregation tree (MECAT) and MECAT with relay nodes (MECAT RN) problems are being discussed to reduce energy consumption in data aggregation trees in WSNs. This paper proposes the tree node switching algorithm (TNSA) that improves on the previous algorithms for the MECAT and MECAT RN problems in terms of energy e ﬃ ciency. TNSA repeatedly switches nodes in a tree to reduce the number of packets sent in the tree. Packets are reduced by improving the accommodation e ﬃ ciency of each packet, in which multiple sensor reports are accommo-dated. As a result of applying TNSA to MECATs and MECAT-RNs, energy consumption can be reduced signiﬁcantly with a small burden.
Inadequacies in Hospital Waste and Sewerage Management in Chattogram, Bangladesh: Exploring Environmental and Occupational Health Hazards

Bangladesh has been grappling with the issues of improper hospital waste management. To reflect the inadequacies in existing management practices and the potential implications on the environment and health, this study evaluated the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of doctors and nurses in a private and a public hospital in Chattogram city via a structured questionnaire survey. At the public hospital, 20.4% of the doctors and 6% of the nurses had occupational illnesses, compared to 36% of the doctors and 26.5% of the nurses at the private hospital. At the public hospital, 67.8% of the nurses wore PPE during waste collection, compared to 17.7% in the private hospital. Hospital wastes and occupational safety are not properly dealt with in both hospitals. An inadequacy was observed in the knowledge of hospital waste management among healthcare workers. The route of hospital wastes from the sources to the end destination was also traced via interviews and focus group discussions, which revealed that disposal practices of the hospital solid waste were environmentally unsustainable. In attempts to show opportunities for environmental and health risks from the hospital wastewater, this study also investigated the quality of the wastewater and tested it for the presence of resistant enteric pathogens. E. coli and S. aureus from both hospitals showed resistance against some common antibiotics used in Bangladesh. The physicochemical properties of the samples were nearly compliant with the Bangladesh Water Quality Standards for hospital wastewater. While more robust sampling and water quality analysis are required, this study provides basic water quality indicators and scope for future research to understand the apparent significant negative impact on the environment and health.
Training, Knowledge Sharing, and Quality of Work-Life on Civil Servants Performance in Indonesia

The research was conducted with the new public management paradigm; the community as the recipient of services is considered a customer. The study aims to reveal the relationship between training and employee performance in the public sector with knowledge sharing indicators as a mediator for both. This research uses a quantitative approach to SEM-Amos analysis tools. The sample was selected using a purposive sampling technique to the Civil Servants (CS) in an online questionnaire to participate in this study. The results showed that as many as 149 samples answered the questionnaire and had attended leadership training and other training. The results showed that the role of leadership training and additional training for training assessment tools to increase knowledge sharing was very influential compared to functional training, technical training, and other training. Although leadership training and further training significantly impact increasing knowledge sharing, they have not improved work-life and CS Performance quality. On the other hand, knowledge sharing shows an indirect effect on CS performance compared to its direct impact.
Evaluation of whole wheat flour sourdough as a promising ingredient in short dough biscuits

Whole grain (WG) consists of three different anatomical components: endosperm, bran, and germ. All components together are healthier than any single part (Harvard Health Letter, 1999). Early epidemiological studies consistently showed that consuming more WGs reduced the risk of certain chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and some cancers (Seal & Brownlee, 2010). Some recommendations on WG consumption emphasized that at least half of all cereal servings should be WG-based (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, 2000). Higher recommendations were established in Denmark and Sweden at 75 g/2000 kcal (Kyrø et al., 2012). Nevertheless, public consumption falls short of these targets (McMackin et al., 2013). Common preference for refined products, poor acceptance of WG foods, and the limit of a variety of WG products have been considered as the factors discouraging an increase in WG consumption (Adams & Engstrom, 2000). Product diversity should be increased to make a significant contribution to daily WG intake (Whole Grains Council, 2012). Bakery products can play a role in helping consumers increase the WG content in a regular part of their diet. However, formulation of bakery products that contains sufficient amount of WG to offer health benefits, while maintaining a strong consumer appeal in terms of taste, texture, and color, presents considerable challenge for food designers (Schaffer-Lequart et al., 2017).
Preliminary Evaluation of a White-Rot Fungal Reactor in the Treatment of a Waste Oil–Recycling Wastewater

ABSTRACT An investigation of the treatment of a complex waste oil–recycling hydrocarbon wastewater was made by employing white-rot fungal strains immobilized in a pinewood chip-packed reactor. The reactor was operated in sequencing batch mode. The fungal reactor was evaluated in a preliminary bench-scale reactor followed by intermediate-scale operation. Substantial chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction (> 96% in 48-h batch cycles) and removal of specific influent compound constituents, alkanes (n-C8, n-C10–C12) and aromatic compound (o-xylene), was shown in diluted and undiluted (COD > 37 g L−1) influent. Industrial application of the fungal reactor was evaluated in a 14-m3 pilot plant erected on-site at a waste oil–processing facility. The scale-up implication and optimization of the field plant is discussed in relation to the process-monitoring programme.
A Facile Two‐Column Chromatographic Process for Efficient Purification of Paclitaxel from Crude Extract

Abstract A facile, preparative low‐pressure chromatographic process was developed for purification of paclitaxel from crude extract of Taxus spp. The process consisted of normal‐phase and a reversed‐phase chromatography without utilization of any liquid–liquid partition step. The normal‐phase chromatography was designed to separate paclitaxel from a majority of unwanted compounds to obtain an initial purification. Silica gel and Al2O3 were compared as packing materials for this step. The result demonstrated that basic Al2O3 was better than silica gel to give a higher throughput. A further advantage of the Al2O3 was its ability of removing 10‐deacetyl‐7‐epi‐paclitaxel, a compound difficult to be separated from the paclitaxel in subsequent purification. The chromatographic fraction of Al2O3 was purified by a subsequent reversed‐phase column chromatography, employing a novel uniform porous microsphere, named PST, as the packing material. Combination of the two steps of column chromatography and one step of crystallization was able to purify paclitaxel, from 0.46% to more than 98% with the total recovery of 71%. This integrated chromatographic procedure was reproducible, efficient, and simple to use.
THE ETHYL ACETATE FRACTION OF PSOROSPERMUM FEBRIFUGUM SPACHROOT BARKS AQUEOUS EXTRACT IS A GOOD STIMULATOR OF HEMATOPOIESIS

PsorospermumfebrifugumSpach. (Clusiaceae) is a medicinal plant found in Benin whose root bark was effective in treating anemia. To identify the family of chemical compounds of this organ was responsible for its hematopoietic efficiency, this work aimed to test the ethyl acetate fraction of the aqueous extract of the plant organ on anemic rats. Methods: Wistar rats were anemic by phenylhydrazinechloridrate on D0. From day 2 to day 15, some were gavage fed with the ethyl acetate fraction of PsorospermumfebrifugumSpach root bark aqueous extract at 40 or 60 mg / kg / day. Others received either vitafer as a reference drug or distilled water (untreated anemic group). Blood samples were collected from these rats and non-anemic control rats at days 0, 2, 7, 10 and 15 for the blood count and osmotic resistance of red blood cells. Results: At D2, phenylhydrazine significantly decreased hemoglobin and red blood cell number, which were corrected on D7 by the extract fraction with a dose-dependent effect. The extract fraction rapidly stimulated release of macrocytes, immature red blood cells in the first week to compensate the anemia. The extract did not affect blood platelet number, suggesting some specificity of action on the red blood cell line. Conclusion: The ethyl acetate fraction of Psorospermumfebrifugum root bark aqueous extract stimulated erythropoiesis faster than the crude extract. Its action seemed specific and dose-dependent. It would probably be related to the flavonoids which action mechanism needs to be explored.
Integration of service quality, benchmarking and Ishikawa diagram in service operations

This paper aims to explore the integration of Service Quality (SERVQUAL) and two specific Total Quality Management (TQM) techniques -benchmarking and Ishikawa diagram- to improve quality in the service industry, particularly in the hospitality industry. The survey was administered to respondents at one five-star hotel in Bandung City, Indonesia. Benchmarking was conducted to compare this hotel to two other hotels at similar levels and within geographical proximity. Ishikawa analysis was then performed to analyze potential causes. The results of the study identified eleven negative score attributes (out of twenty-one) from SERVQUAL, which was in line with the benchmarking results. The Ishikawa diagram showed the root causes of these attributes and helped with developing ideas for practical quality improvements in the future. Most studies in the hospitality industry have examined SERVQUAL and TQM separately. Our study contributes uniquely to the existing literature by providing insight into the combination of SERVQUAL and two TQM specific tools to improve quality operations in a hospitality setting.
Food Values Applied to Moringa oleifera: A Case Study in Niger

The objective of this paper is to determine food values as applied to leafy vegetables such as Moringa oleifera and to specifically determine how climate change and food security information influence food values using recent advances in best worst scaling. Based on previous research related food values and focus group with consumers and resourceful persons, thirteen food values were identified and included in this study. Data were collected from 174 respondents randomly selected and interviewed in both rural and urban locations. Results suggest that food values such as veganism, nutrition, aesthetic object and social good when applied toMoringa oleifera are among the more important to consumers; while medicine, culture and object of hunger and desire were among the least important to consumers. Our findings further revealed that food values such nutrition is the most important when climate change information is provided to consumers, while technology and culture are the least important food values. Finally, food values such veganism, aesthetic object and nutrition are the most important, whereas food values such as culture is the least important when food security information is provided to consumers.
Free energies of association for the sodium-dimethyl phosphate ion pair in aqueous solution

Utilisation de la theorie de perturbation mecanique statistique et d'une simulation par ordinateur de la dynamique moleculaire pour obtenir les potentiels de force moyenne du systeme sodium-dimethylphsphate. Presentation des resultas des potentiels de force moyenne pour deux types de geometrie intermoelculaire
Synthesis of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Poly(o-anisidine) Nanocomposite Material: Fabrication and Characterization of Its Langmuir−Schaefer Films

Nanocomposites of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) embedded in poly(o-anisidine) (POAS) were synthesized by oxidative polymerization and characterized using a combination of various techniques. The Langmuir monolayer behavior of POAS−carbon nanotubes (CNTs) conducting polymer was investigated at the air−water interface. The Langmuir−Schaefer (LS) films of POAS−MWNTs were prepared at a subphase of pH. A uniform deposition of monolayers was studied by optical and quartz crystal microbalance techniques, respectively. The nature of the anions in electrochemical investigations revealed significant changes in the redox properties of the POAS−MWNTs LS films. The cyclic voltammetric study revealed a highly electrochemical resistive LS film. The photoelectrochemical current transient of POAS−MWNT LS films was investigated in different electrolytic solutions.