Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reputation-oriented Electronic Micro-loaning Based on Smart Contract in a Solidarity Group

Digitalization apparently improves the efficiency and flexibility of financial services. In this work, we aim to introduce the Rotation Savings and Credit Association (ROSCA) into electronic commerce. ROSCA is one kind of non-interest lending and called as micro-loaning. The corresponding standards and rules are not severe restricted in comparison with those defined by financial institutions. It is friendly to people whose financial conditions are not so well. In particular, we adopt the smart contract which is a sort of automation technique to fulfill electronic micro-loaning in a solidarity group. Since all specifications of ROSCA are interpreted into functions via a logical transition, the contract content will be automatically implemented once the executing conditions are satisfied. This can significantly result in an effective operation and decrease the transaction cost. Moreover, the reputation strategy is applied to classify players into an appropriate group; thus, leading to mitigating the risk of embezzlement and insolvency.
Are Children Actually Losing Contact with Nature, or Is It That Their Experiences Differ from Those of 120 years Ago?

We compared the experience with nature of today’s children with data from the beginning of the 20th century to determine whether we can confirm a loss of experience and contribute to the description of changes in children’s relationship with nature. We used a questionnaire originally published in 1900 for this survey. Results from contemporary participants tested by ANOVA showed no difference in level of experience according to the age of the respondents. Comparing historical data with current data by a Z-test for proportions and Cohen’s h, we found a significant increase in contemporary children’s summary experiences. Although children of the 21st century have less experience with traditional extensive farming activities and biotechnologies, they have much more experience with nature, apparently connected with recreational and field-trip activities. We cannot confirm a decrease in experience among generations, on the contrary, we found a summary increase in experience.
Research priorities in the field of multilingualism and language education: a cross-national examination

ABSTRACT Due to globalisation and migration, multilingualism has become both a reality and an aim of education systems across Europe, affecting how language education is shaped. To improve the ways in which schools cater for language education in diverse settings, research is required on the potentials of multilingualism in order to design curricula that foster skills in different languages. This paper aims at identifying and explaining research priorities in the field of multilingualism and language education in a cross-national perspective. It draws on data from a survey with 298 expert participants in five European countries (Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain) who ranked pre-identified research topics in relation to their perceived urgency. Results show that experts identified ‘effectiveness of multilingual support in regular lessons’, ‘features of multilingual didactics’ and ‘effectiveness of literacy support in home languages on the development of academic language skills in the majority language’ as having the highest research priority overall. However, these results vary across national settings investigated. While the German, Dutch and Portuguese respondents attributed urgency to research on academic language skills, other issues were rated higher in the Spanish and Italian research contexts. The advantages and limitations of conducting cross-national research are also addressed.
Identification and Characterization of the OCT4 Upstream Regulatory Region in Sus scrofa

OCT4 plays pivotal roles in maintaining pluripotency during early mammalian embryonic development and in embryonic stem cells. It is essential to establish a reporter system based on the OCT4 promoter region to study pluripotency. However, there is still a lack of information about the porcine OCT4 upstream reporter system. To improve our understanding of the porcine OCT4 regulatory region, we identified conserved regions in the porcine OCT4 promoter upstream region by sequence-based comparative analysis using various mammalian genome sequences. The similarity of nucleotide sequences in the 5′ upstream region was low among mammalian species. However, the OCT4 promoter and four regulatory regions, including distal and proximal enhancer elements, had high similarity. Next, a functional analysis of the porcine OCT4 promoter region was conducted. Luciferase reporter assay results indicated that the porcine OCT4 distal enhancer and proximal enhancer were highly activated in mouse embryonic stem cells and embryonic carcinoma cells, respectively. A comparison analysis of naïve and primed state marker gene expression in a dual-reporter assay showed that the expression levels of naïve and primed markers differed in fluorescence signal between high-expressing cells and low-expressing cells. Similar to OCT4 upstream-based reporter systems derived from other species, the porcine OCT4 upstream region-based reporter constructs showed exclusive expression patterns depending on the state of pluripotency. This work provides basic information about the porcine OCT4 upstream region and various porcine OCT4 fluorescence reporter constructs, which can be applied to study species-specific pluripotency in early embryo development and the establishment of embryonic stem cells in pigs.
Use of Mobile Technologies in Tourism: Natural Health Resorts Study

Mobile technologies have drastically changed the way people do everyday activities. Tasks previously reserved for desktop environments have moved to mobile devices, and nowadays, half of the internet traffic is stemming from mobile devices. The tourism industry is no exempt from the shift from desktop to mobile. In our research, we check to what extent natural health resorts have adapted and integrated mobile solutions to their websites. We collected data about the friendliness of selected websites using automated online tools and carried out a heuristic evaluation. The results were statistically analyzed and compared. Only roughly half of natural health resorts have optimized their websites for mobile devices. There are no statistically significant differences when comparing purely technical aspects. However, an in-depth heuristic evaluation has shown that some web sites are significantly more mobile-friendly than others and offer better technical conditions for enhanced user experience. Our study is the first technical and contentual evaluation of website mobile devices' friendliness in the natural health resort sector. It warns management, their marketing consultants, and web site developers about the opportunities they are missing by not supporting mobile users sufficiently. Further, it outlines deficiencies and provides suggestions and instructions for optimizing websites to enhance user-friendliness on mobile devices.
Development and Validation of Fantastic Reality Ability Measurement (FRAME) to Measure Use of Imagination in Response to Stress and Trauma

ABSTRACT Fantastic reality ability (FRA) is defined as the capacity to use imagination in response to stress or trauma; it has been identified as an important concept in trauma-focused therapy. This manuscript presents the newly developed 21-item scale, Fantastic Reality Ability MEasurement (FRAME), based on responses from 502 Israeli adults. The development and initial psychometric validation of this scale is detailed. A four-factor solution was identified: Coping, Control, Transcendence, and Playfulness. Each factor contributes significantly to the measurement of a higher-order FRA latent construct. FRAME responses demonstrated high internal consistency (α =.88) and good test–retest reliability over 27 weeks (.60 < r >.80). We also report robust correlations between the FRAME and measures of ego-resiliency, playfulness, and fantasy proneness. The FRAME enables one to briefly measure imagination use in response to trauma and could serve as part of questionnaire batteries measuring individual differences and used in clinical research.
Electrochemical Reduction of Dinitrotoluene

Abstract : This study evaluated electrochemical reduction of a model nitro aromatic (dinitrotoluene, or DNT) that has shown the tendency to undergo reduction reactions. Objectives were to investigate the effect of stirring rate and the identity of the cathode material on the rate of DNT degradation, and to evaluate the fate of by-products, with specific attention to the mass balance and the potential formation of polymers of the reduced compounds and the parent compound. A bench-scale study was done of the degradation of 2,4-DNT in an electrochemical reactor. The rate of the degradation was measured under various experimental conditions. The by-products of degradation were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC. A mass balance for the products was obtained under a variety of experimental conditions, both in the aqueous and solid phases. The stirring rate was found to affect the overall rate of degradation in some cases. A satisfactory mass balance for the products was achieved with 2,4-diaminotoluene (DAT) dominating in deoxygenated experiments and the dimers being important in the precipitating solid in the oxygenated experiments.
Oxidative Stability and Flavor Compounds of Sesame Oils Blended with Vegetable Oils

Oxidative stability and flavor of sesame oil blended with canola oil (Ca), corn oil (Co), and soybean oil (Sb) at ratios of 90 : 10, 70 : 30, and 50 : 50 (w/w), respectively, were evaluated. Oxidative stability of sesame oil increased with the addition of vegetable oils (10, 30, and 50% of Ca and Co, and 10% of Sb). Pyrazines, pyrroles, pyridines, and thiazoles, good contributors to the characteristic flavor of sesame oil, were also found in sesame oil blended with vegetable oil. The sensory evaluation showed that no difference was observed between sesame oil and sesame oil blended with 10% of Ca, Co or Sb, which showed higher oxidative stability.
Microflora of Naturally Fermented Table Olives and Characterization of Their Lactic Acid Bacteria

Sofralik zeytin fermantasyonu Anadolu'nun en eski uygulamalarindan biridir ve sofralik zeytin tuketimi insan beslenmesinde onemli rol oynamaktadir. Bu calismada, geleneksel olarak uretilen 8 zeytin ornegi ve bir adet endustriyel olarak uretilen sofralik zeytin ornegi Aydin ilinden temin edilmistir. Mikrobiyal populasyonlar, mezofilik bakteriler, laktik asit bakterileri (LAB), Enterobakteri, Stafilokok, kuf ve mayalar standart plaka sayim yontemleri ile belirlenmistir. Kirk bir temsili laktobasil, fenotipik tekniklerle karakterize edilmistir. Izole edilmis laktobasil turlerinin 34'u, hem 15°C'de hem de % 6,5 tuz konsantrasyonunda iyi buyume yeteneklerine sahiptir. Ayrica, bu laktobasil suslari homofermentatif karaktere sahiptir ve bunlar sofralik zeytin starterleri icin istenen ozelliklerdir. Tur duzeyinde tanimlama icin, seker fermantasyon profillerinden secilen dort temsili sus, 16S rDNA sekanslamasi ile karakterize edilmistir. Bunlardan 3 tanesi Lb. plantarum ile, biri Lb. pentosus eslesmistir. Bu suslar, linoleik asit varliginda 12-20 ug / ml arasinda konjuge linoleik asit uretmislerdir. Sonuc olarak, istenilen teknolojik ozelliklere sahip bu LAB suslari, ileride kontrollu endustriyel sofralik zeytin uretiminde kullanilabilirler.
On wavelet-based statistical process monitoring

This paper presents an overview of wavelet-based techniques for statistical process monitoring. The use of wavelet has already had an effective contribution to many applications. The increase of data availability has led to the use of wavelet analysis as a tool to reduce, denoise, and process the data before using statistical models for monitoring. The most recent review paper on wavelet-based methods for process monitoring had the goal to review the findings up to 2004. In this paper, we provide a recent reference for researchers and engineers with a different focus. We focus on: (i) wavelet statistical properties, (ii) control charts based on wavelet coefficients, and (iii) wavelet-based process monitoring methods within a machine learning framework. It is clear from the literature that wavelets are widely used with multivariate methods compared to univariate methods. We also found some potential research areas regarding the use of wavelet in image process monitoring and designing control charts based on wavelet statistics, and listed them in the paper.
Genetic diversity of Shorea producing tengkawang populations in Kalimantan based on SSR markers

Shorea producing tengkawang grows naturally in Indonesia, however several species are now listed in the IUCN as endangered species. Their presences in natural forests arebecoming scarce so that it requires conservation efforts such as the construction of ex- situ conservation plots. This research aims to obtain data and information about the genetic diversity structure of several species of Shorea producing tengkawang. The material used was leaf samples from 11 (eleven) populations consisting of 4 (four) species of Shorea producing tengkawang. The method used 4 pairs of microsatellite DNA markers (SSR), and data analysis used POPGENE and GenAleX. The results show various genetic distances between populations, ranging from 0.028 to 1.510 with the value of genetic diversity in the population larger (72%) than among the populations (28%). Genetic diversity in the population ranges from 0.5269 - 0.8244. Cluster analysis shows that the existing Shorea producing Tengkawang population does not form a specific grouping. This genetic diversity information can be used as the basic data for the development of Shorea producing tengkawang ex-situ conservation plots.
Evaluation and Optimization of MTBE Biodegradation in Aquifers, Final Report

This study was focused on meeting the following objectives concerning the process of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) biodegradation, with the goal of optimizing this process in situ: 1. Assess whether intrinsic bioattenuation of MTBE is feasible under aerobic conditions across several contaminated sites. 2. Determine the effect of co-contaminants, specifically water-soluble gasoline components (most notably benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes [BTEX]) on MTBE biodegradation. 3. Determine whether microbial and/or chemical factors contribute to different MTBE degradative activities. 4. Isolate and characterize MTBE-degrading microorganisms from sediments in which MTBE biodegradation was observed.
Threats to aquatic taxa in an arid landscape: Knowledge gaps and areas of understanding for amphibians of the American Southwest

The American Southwest is a dryland region with variable, seasonal precipitation, and a wide range of freshwater habitats. Amphibians are among the diverse freshwater taxa that rely on aquatic habitats of the southwest, yet the state‐of‐the‐science regarding vulnerability of the region’s amphibians to threats recognized globally is unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we reviewed 81 publications and 341 species:threat relationships to assess coverage in the peer‐reviewed literature of potential threats to 35 amphibians native to the region. We classified threats into three major categories: climate change, biological, and land use. Using a new trait database for anurans (frogs and toads) of the United States, we evaluated these threats in the context of life history diversity of the region's anurans. We found high coverage for hydrological alteration and introduced species as well as changes to community dynamics, land use, and precipitation. Other potential threats—particularly those linked to climate change such as changes in seasonality and fire—had comparatively low coverage. Coverage varied widely among species, with the number of reported species:threat relationships ranging from 37 (the lowland leopard frog, Lithobates yavapaiensis) to no coverage for some species—including some of conservation concern (e.g., Sacramento Mountains salamander, Aneides hardii). Our findings support leveraging available information to test hypothesized linkages between amphibian life histories and risk and response to threats; using high coverage species and threats to inform simulations and experiments exploring species:threat relationships and efficacy of management strategies; and addressing knowledge gaps for species and threats with no proxies through on‐the‐ground natural history efforts.
Potential regulatory implications of Health Canada's new lead guideline

Health Canada's guideline for lead in drinking water was updated in March 2019. Two new sampling protocols were introduced—random daytime and 30‐min stagnation sampling—and the maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) of lead in drinking water was decreased from 10 to 5 μg/L. This study examined the possible impacts that changes in the guideline might have on water utilities in Canada. A lead‐monitoring survey of seven drinking water distribution systems was conducted using the random daytime and 30‐min stagnation protocols. Random daytime sampling captured an estimated 45% more lead than 30‐min stagnation sampling. However, both protocols yielded samples above the new MAC: 7.5% and 5.4% of random daytime and 30‐min stagnation samples, respectively, exceeded it. These data indicate that some drinking water providers—especially those supplying systems with legacy lead plumbing—may have difficulty achieving 100% compliance with the new guideline.
Las destrezas de pensamiento y las calificaciones escolares en educación secundaria: validación de un instrumento de evaluación libre de cultura

Los estudios sobre pensamiento crítico se han centrado y preocupado más por crear programas de enseñanza que evaluar el impacto de los programas y, por ello, este artículo de investigación plantea la evaluación de las destrezas de pensamiento de estudiantes españoles al final de la educación secundaria (15-16 años), su relación con las calificaciones del aprendizaje y la validación del instrumento de evaluación. Este se plantea como un instrumento libre de cultura, con un componente figurativo importante y cuyo propósito es evaluar cuatro destrezas: deducción, asunciones, secuenciación y toma de decisiones. Los resultados permiten un diagnóstico de las destrezas de los estudiantes, así como resaltan el hallazgo más importante: la correlación significativa entre las calificaciones escolares de los estudiantes y las puntuaciones de las destrezas de pensamiento, que tienden a ser más altas en las asignaturas matemáticas y científicas. Los resultados psicométricos de validez y fiabilidad son buenos para las cuestiones figurativas y más bajos para las cuestiones verbales, a pesar de que estas últimas se extrajeron de instrumentos estandarizados de evaluación de pensamiento crítico construidos por otros autores. Finalmente, se discute la importancia de los resultados para la educación, puesto que confirman la relevancia transversal que pueden tener las destrezas de pensamiento para los aprendizajes escolares, y se propone revisar algunas cuestiones del instrumento de evaluación para mejorar su validez y fiabilidad.
Cloning and Expression of Fasciola gigantica Cathepsin-B Recombinant Proteins

Fasciola gigantica cathepsin (cysteine) proteases are potential diagnostic antigens for animal and human fasciolosis. These include cathepsin-L proteases that have been exploited in the diagnosis of animal fasciolosis. However, no scientific data on the diagnostic potential of F. gigantica cathepsin B proteases is available. Therefore, three recombinant antigens of F. gigantica viz. cathepsin (cat) B-1, cat B-2 and cat B-3 were expressed in prokaryotic expression system. The recombinant antigens were purified under denaturing conditions by Nickel affinity chromatography and an optimal level of the recombinant proteins was obtained. These recombinant proteins will further be evaluated for their potential in the early prepatent diagnosis of F. gigantica infection in domestic ruminants.
Selective Inhibition on Growth and Photosynthesis of Harmful Cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa) by Water Soluble Substances of Dendranthema indicum Flowers

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms become serious environmental issues in various waterbodies, including aquaculture ponds, which inherently need a high biomass and healthy composition of phytoplankton to sustain their high productivity. Indoor bioassays were conducted to investigate the effects of an aqueous extract of Dendranthema indicum flowers on cyanobacteria and green algae species. The thermal stability and polarity of the water-soluble active substances of D. indicum flowers were also assessed based on the growth and photosynthesis responses of Microcystis aeruginosa. There was obvious growth promotion of green algae, including Chlorella vulgaris, Kirchneriella sp. and Haematococcus pluvialis and strong growth inhibition of toxigenic and non-toxigenic M. aeruginosa by aqueous extracts of D. indicum flowers at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 g·DW·L−1. The cell concentrations of M. aeruginosa and C. vulgaris were 46.5% and 242.2% of those in the corresponding controls after a 10-day exposure to aqueous extracts of D. indicum flowers at 1.0 g·DW·L−1. There must be some water-soluble active allelochemicals released from D. indicum flowers that are responsible for the selective inhibition of M. aeruginosa rather than green algae. The inhibition ratio of the growth and photosynthesis of M. aeruginosa by aqueous extracts of D. indicum flowers at 2.0 g·DW·L−1 prepared with water at 25 °C and 100 °C were above 90% and 80% compared to the cell density and performance index on absorption basis (PIABS) value of M. aeruginosa in the control on day 6, without significant differences. It indicates that the active substances of D. indicum flowers were thermally stable. The methanol fraction eluted from solid phase extraction (SPE)-enriched aqueous extracts of D. indicum flowers showed the strongest inhibition of the growth and photosynthesis of M. aeruginosa compared to the other four fractions. It indicates that the most polar substances of D. indicum flowers were responsible for the selective inhibition of M. aeruginosa. More experiments are required to identify the responsible active substances and reveal the underlying mechanisms of aqueous extracts of D. indicum flowers that selectively inhibit cyanobacteria and regulate the phytoplankton community structure.