Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Engaging Students in the Development of an Atmospheric Science Course: A Discourse Analysis

Aims: With increasing emphasis on learners-centered approach in teaching and learning, engaging students in course development and refinement is crucial. This study aims to foster a participatory approach in course development by engaging students in meaningful discourse at the early stage of an atmospheric science course. Study design: This is a qualitative study which employed the grounded theory for data analysis. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in March 2021 in an international higher learning institution located in the Guangdong Province of China. Methodology: This qualitative study invited a year 3 cohort of environmental science students taking an atmospheric science and pollution course in an international higher learning institution in China to participate in a meaningful discourse about the course in week 2 of the semester. Their responses were transcribed and the transcripts analyzed with NVIVO based on the grounded theory. The transcripts were coded, the themes were drawn and the relationship was probed. Results: This study identified three overarching themes from the codes, namely assessment, course contents and learning activities, whose codes covered 4.5%, 17.8% and 23.1% of the text respectively. Codes for assessment comprise practical assignment and multiple-choice question, while those for course contents include black carbon, modelling, greenhouse gases, zero-carbon, and removal of Freon. Codes for learning activities include case studies, debate, field trips and quizzes. The words most frequently appeared in the transcripts are learning and field. The findings reflect expectations for interactive learning, simulation-based learning, authentic assignments and activities, experiential learning via field trips and problem-based learning. These are in line with the established pedagogies for environmental science. Conclusion: This study shifts the paradigm of students’ engagement in the increasingly learner-centered educational setting where students are proactively involved in course development in the early stage of teaching and learning instead of reactively involved through feedback collection at advanced stages.
Magnetically Separable Rice Husk Char-Supported Nickel Ferrite Photocatalyst with High Photoactivity under Visible-Light Irradiation

A specific strategy is presented for the preparation of a NiFe2O4-rice husk char (RHC) nanocatalyst with different RHC contents. The recombination of nano-NiFe2O4 with RHC leads an opposite transformation of the unreactive NiFe2O4 to an upper active photocatalyst, which can be used for the photodegradation of methylene blue in the presence of H2O2 under visible light. In comparison with neat NiFe2O4 as a catalyst, the NiFe2O4-RHC plays a dual function as the photocatalyst for both the electrochemical photodegradation of methylene blue and the producer of the important oxidant hydroxyl radical from the electrochemical dissociation of H2O2 under visible-light irradiation. The photocatalyst displays such excellent stability in the reaction that it can be magnetically separated and recycled for more than five consecutive cycles without any significant loss of activity and degradation.
Pelletization of Compost from Different Mixtures with the Addition of Exhausted Extinguishing Powders

Today, in Europe, there is still no industrial process to favor the distribution of exhausted extinguishing powders (EEP). Extinguishing powders (EP) are the most common extinguishing agents and are composed of very fine particles (90% is less than 0.250 mm, with at least 40% less than 0.040 mm). Illegal processes of disposal or reuse of EEP are currently taking place throughout Europe. In fact, often maintenance companies illegally dispose of and/or reuse spent extinguishing powders with enormous environmental damage. This is partly due to prohibitive costs, of which a large part is due to transport. The demand for fertilizers is increasing; phosphorus is a key raw material, and a possible solution could be mixing it with compost and other organic biomass and agricultural residues. In general, both compost and EEP powder have a low density and can take up a great deal of storage volume, so thickening this compost would help reduce the required storage capacity. Furthermore, a danger represented by the handling of compost and EEP is the dispersion of dust that can potentially carry pathogens and toxic organic substances which, if inhaled, could cause respiratory problems during distribution and handling. The aim of this study was to produce compost pellets using exhausted EP in different formulations and to observe the quality of different compost pellet products with respect to different factors affecting handling, storage, and distribution. For the first time, the pelletizing of EEP with compost was performed successfully using five different blends, each with different properties. The results showed that qualitative variables could be controlled to optimize production efficiency and improve the quality of the finished product depending on the type of distribution, handling, and storage. The five compost mixes could be applied in different agricultural crops as fertilizer. Furthermore, this use of exhausted EP allows for positive ecological and economic effects, avoiding the disposal costs required by specialized companies.
Effect of Trichoderma spp. and Fertilization on the Flowering of Begonia × tuberhybrida Voss. ‘Picotee Sunburst’

The aim of the study was to assess the influence of Trichoderma spp. and different fertilization levels on the flowering and nutritional status of Begonia × tuberhybrida Voss. ‘Picotee Sunburst’ plants. Before planting, the tubers were soaked in water or a mixture of spore of Trichoderma spp. (T. viride Schumach–Tv14, T. harzianum Rifai–Thr2, T. hamatum/Bonord/Bainier–Th15) in the form of a suspension for 24 h. The plants were fertilized every 7 days with the multi-component Peters Professional Allrounder fertilizer (20:20:20 + microelements) at a concentration of 0.0%, 0.2%, and 0.3%. Trichoderma spp. accelerated the flowering of the ‘Picotee Sunburst’ cultivar by 2.7–8.7 days, stimulated the development of buds and flowers in the plants and affected their size. The plants bloomed most intensively and had the biggest flowers after the treatment with the 0.3% fertilizer. Trichoderma spp. and the fertilization had no effect on the height of the plants and the number of shoots regardless of the fertilizer concentration, but they stimulated the development of leaves. Trichoderma spp. stimulated the production of chlorophyll. They did not affect the uptake of macroelements, but they stimulated the uptake of microelements (Zn, Fe, and B). The higher the fertilizer concentration was, the higher was the content of microelements in the plants.
Detection of Oxytetracycline Residues in Table Eggs in Khartoum State, Sudan

Aims: This study was conducted to detect the presence of oxytetracycline residues in table eggs in Khartoum State and to compare its level with the international acceptable maximum residue limits (MRLs). Study Design: One hundred and eighty table egg samples were randomly collected from 18 sale points in the three localities of Khartoum State, Sudan, (60 eggs from Omdurman, 60 eggs from Khartoum and 60 eggs from Khartoum North). Place and Duration of Study: Samples collected from Khartoum State during August and September, 2015. Methodology: Microbiological inhibition assay was used to screen the presence of antibiotic residues using Bacillus subtilis seeded in nutrient agar. Ninety positive egg samples from the microbiological inhibition assay were analyzed to detect the presence and quantity of oxytetracycline residues using HPLC. Results: Microbiological inhibition assay showed that 50% of the tested samples were positive for antibiotic residues in Omdurman, Khartoum and Khartoum North with 34(18.9%), 28(15.6%), and 28(15.6%) of the antibiotics respectively. HPLC results showed that 63(70%) were positive for oxytetracycline residues 19(10.5%) from Omdurman, 21(11.6%) from Khartoum and 23(12.7%) from Khartoum North. Original Research Article Hind et al.; EJNFS, 8(4): 148-154, 2018; Article no.EJNFS. 2018.024 149 Conclusion: It was concluded that high percentage of table eggs contained oxytetracycline residues above the MRLs (0.2 ppm) that indicated the widespread misuse of oxytetracycline in poultry farms that may cause health hazards to consumers in Khartoum State. Therefore the study recommends compliance of drug withdrawal periods in poultry farms could reduce the incidence of antibiotic residues in consumed eggs.
Students’ and teachers’ critical thinking in science education: are they related to each other and with physics achievement?

ABSTRACT Background Although there is an increasing recognition of the importance of critical thinking in science education across the world, the relevant research literature is extremely thin. There is an urgent need to generate more empirical evidence. Purpose We examined two essential issues concerning critical thinking (the relationship between students’ and teachers’ critical thinking as well as the relationship between critical thinking and science achievement) in the context of physics education. Sample We utilized data from the 2017 (Chinese) Program for Regional Assessment of Basic Education Quality with 46,820 students under 547 teachers from 128 schools. Design and methods We developed multiple membership multilevel models to account for students from different schools and under multiple teachers (in each school). Results After control over student, teacher, and school characteristics, although Chinese eighth graders demonstrated statistically significant critical thinking, there was not any statistically significant relationship between students’ and teachers’ critical thinking. With the same control, there was a statistically significant relationship between students’ critical thinking and students’ physics achievement among Chinese eighth graders. Meanwhile, there was not any statistically significant relationship between teachers’ critical thinking and students’ physics achievement (over and above the relationship between students’ critical thinking and students’ physics achievement). Conclusion We suggest that critical thinking may need to become an essential and explicit outcome of science education to help establish a relationship between students’ and teachers’ critical thinking and promote the correlation between critical thinking of students and teachers and students’ science achievement.
Production and hemocompatibility assessment of novel electrospun polyurethane nanofibers loaded with dietary virgin coconut oil for vascular graft applications

To develop biodegradable polymer scaffolds suitable for vascular tissue engineering applications, the bioengineering community has invested an extensive effort. The most common cause for the failure of vascular graft scaffolds is thrombosis. In this work, the scaffold based on polyurethane and virgin coconut oil was produced by electrospinning process for vascular tissue engineering applications with improved antithrombogenicity. The diameter of this electrospun polyurethane/virgin coconut oil composite was found to be reduced in the range of 886 ± 207 nm compared to pristine polyurethane which was in the range of 969 ± 217 nm. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed the interaction between polyurethane and virgin coconut oil as indicated by phase shifting of CH bond along with the formation of hydrogen bond. The contact angle measurement of fabricated composites was found to be increased owing to hydrophobic nature and also exhibited enhanced thermal stability as noted in thermogravimetric analysis. The atomic force microscopy analysis insinuated the increased surface roughness of the composite in comparison with the pure polyurethane. Developed scaffold resulted in delayed blood clotting as revealed by activated partial thromboplastin time and partial thromboplastin time assay. The hemolytic index of fabricated composites was found to be low indicating the enhanced safety of red blood cells. Hence, the newly developed nanofibrous composite scaffold could open the door for a suitable alternative for vascular graft applications.
How the Discrepancy Between Prior Expectations and New Information Influences Expectation Updating in Depression—The Greater, the Better?

Previous research on expectation updating in relation to psychopathology used to treat expectation-confirming information and expectation-disconfirming information as binary concepts. Here, we varied the extent to which new information deviates from prior expectations and examined its influence on expectation adjustment in both a false-feedback task (Study 1; N = 379) and a social-interaction task (Study 2; N = 292). Unlike traditional learning models, we hypothesized a tipping point in which the discrepancy between expectation and outcome becomes so large that new information is perceived as lacking credibility, thus entailing little updating of expectations. Consistent with the hypothesized tipping point, new information was deemed most valid if it was moderately positive. Moreover, descriptively, expectation update was largest for moderate expectation violations, but this effect was small (Study 2) or even nonsignificant (Study 1). The findings question the assumption of traditional learning models that the larger the prediction error, the larger the update.
Intersectional Gaps in Self-Efficacy among Post-Graduate Students in International Renewable-Energy Programs: The Role of Maternal Employment

Relatively little empirical research has analyzed the sources of students’ self-perceptions outside the US and Europe, and in new fields of study like renewable energy. This paper aims at filling this gap by identifying differences in self-efficacy levels of post-graduate students in Erasmus+ capacity-building programs on renewable energy in Argentinian and Guatemalan universities. We analyzed a sample of 43 students to test intersectional differences in self-efficacy, looking at students’ gender, country of origin, and maternal employment. Using the New General Self-Efficacy scale, we performed the t-test to compare mean differences in self-efficacy, and one-way and two-way ANOVA tests to check the consistency of the results. Our estimates did not show significant gender gaps in self-efficacy among renewable-energy post-graduate students, but they did uncover relevant country differences in mean self-efficacy levels, mainly due to differences in socio-economic indicators and gender norms between the two countries analyzed. Moreover, we found a mediating role of maternal employment in cross-country self-efficacy differences, whereas the characteristics of fathers appeared uninfluential. We conclude by stressing the importance of intersectional analysis in terms of country of origin, family backgrounds, and gender norms to increase knowledge about differences in self-efficacy of students.
Using Monte Carlo simulations to translate military and law enforcement training results to operational metrics

There are numerous challenges comparing research initiatives due to methodological differences and scenario-specific problems. Military and law enforcement issues present an extreme variant of this challenge. Specifically, assessment and training scenarios strive for realism, but operators cannot engage one another with live rounds or induce the full spectrum of environmental stressors for obvious safety reasons. Instead, particular factors are evaluated in a given scenario via experimental statistics despite the inherent difficulty in communicating inferential statistics to the intended audience of military and law enforcement professionals. The current investigation explores how Monte Carlo simulations can use probabilistic distribution sampling to convert statistical inferences into concrete operational outcomes. Using this type of distribution sampling, statistical inferences can be translated into operational metrics such as the probability of winning a gunfight. Describing these statistical values and effect sizes in terms of survival provides a more appreciable operational metric that military and law enforcement personnel can use when evaluating the advantages of various training platforms or equipment. Several approaches are examined that each accomplish this general goal, including circumstances outside of marksmanship and lethal force decision-making.
Insights into how academics reframed their assessment during a pandemic: disciplinary variation and assessment as afterthought

Abstract COVID-19 caused substantial change in learning and teaching in higher education. In this article we explore how assessment changed in the initial semester of emergency remote teaching in an Australian university. Seventy academics responsible for courses (unit of study), representing a wide array of disciplines, completed an online survey at the end of the semester in June 2020. They answered questions regarding their experiences and actions in shifting their course online from face-to-face delivery at the point of the pivot online. A mixed methods approach identified that most academics did not change the composition and relative weighting of their assessment in response to the pivot. The dominant strategy was to translate existing on-campus assessment into an online format. The research provides insight into disciplinary norms for assessment and, we argue, signals how forms of assessment are valued based on their retention during a time of consequential change in pedagogy. For academics in our study, assessment was an afterthought to the more pressing focus on pedagogical interactions with students. Academic integrity matters were not a factor in their decision-making process during that initial move to remote emergency teaching. Linking assessment with pedagogy, whether online, on-campus and both, matters moving forward.
The effectiveness of interventions on nutrition social behaviour change communication in improving child nutritional status within the first 1000 days: Evidence from a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to assess the robustness of designs and tools used in nutrition social behaviour change communication (NSBCC) interventions and establish their effectiveness. EBSCOhost as an umbrella database including Medline (Ovid) and CINAHL, EMBASE, and ProQUEST databases were searched for peer‐reviewed articles from January 1960 to October 2018. Additional sources were searched to identify all relevant studies including grey literature. Studies' biases were assessed according to Cochrane handbook. Pooled estimate of effectiveness of interventions on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices and child nutritional status with 95% confidence intervals were measured using random‐effects models. Eighty studies were included in this review: Fifty‐one (64%) were cluster randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 13 (16%) were RCTs and 16 (20%) quasi‐experimental. Of the included studies, 22 (27%) measured early initiation of breastfeeding, 38 (47%) measured exclusive breastfeeding, 29 (36%) measured minimum dietary diversity, 21 (26%) measured minimum meal frequency, 26 (32%) measured height for age z‐scores (HAZ), 23 (29%) measured weight for height z‐scores (WHZ), 27 (34%) measured weight for age z‐scores (WAZ), 20 (25%) measured stunting, 14 (17%) measured wasting, and 11 (14%) measured underweight. The overall intervention's effect was significant for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) (odds ratio = 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35–2.11, p < 0.001), HAZ (standardized mean differences [SMD] = 0.19; 95% CI: 0.17–0.21; p < 0.001), WHZ (SMD = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.004–0.04; p < 0.001), and WAZ (SMD = 0.04; 95% CI: 0.02–0.06; p < 0.001). Evidence shows the effectiveness of NSBCC in improving EBF and child anthropometric outcomes. Further research should test the impact on child nutritional status with clearly specified and detailed NSBCC interventions.
Can Listening Hurt You? A Meta-analysis of the Effects of Exposure to Trauma on Listener’s Stress

ABSTRACT Although sharing traumatic experiences with others can facilitate Speakers coping, scholars have hypothesized that the listeners experience stress. We tested this hypothesis by reviewing published literature on the association between exposure to speakers’ trauma accounts and listeners’ stress. We found 49 articles with relevant data, reporting 142 effect sizes. To account for the nesting of effect sizes within articles, we performed a three-level meta-analysis. The meta-analytically weighted mean of the correlations between exposure to trauma and stress was = . 15, p < . 0001. Yet, the effect was highly heterogeneous Q 141 = 964.3, p < . 0001, I 2 = 88.6%, τ = . 20. Based on τ, a 95% prediction interval suggests that the true effects of exposure and stress could range from −. 24 to . 54. Exploratory moderator analyses suggested that long-term exposure attenuates the association and that type of stress measure does not. These results show that exposure can stress the listener, calling for additional research to understand the conditions that mitigate this effect.
Energy Losses in Small‐Molecule Organic Photovoltaics

After intense research and development organic solar cells have matured among the family of thin‐film photovoltaic technologies. On the laboratory scale they reach power conversion efficiencies in excess of 10%. Together with other attractive features, like transparency or the compatibility with low‐cost, large area processing, they open reasonable perspectives for their commercialization. However, in order to close the gap to established inorganic technologies, primarily crystalline silicon, the fundamental understanding of loss processes has to be improved. First and foremost, this concerns the energy loss between the optical gap for light absorption and the open‐circuit voltage of the cell. Here, the scientific background for the different mechanisms of energy losses in organic photovoltaic cells together with current approaches toward their reduction is presented.
Sampled-Data-Based Event-Triggered Fuzzy Control for PDE Systems Under Cyberattacks

This article presents a new sampled-data-based event-triggered pointwise security controller by pointwise measurements for partial differential equation (PDE) systems under stochastic cyberattacks. First, according to the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model, the considered nonlinear system is reconstructed and an event-triggered pointwise fuzzy controller is proposed with pointwise measurements. Moreover, networked control systems are introduced to improve the transmission convenience; however, two deception cyberattacks with different characteristics are brought into PDE systems for the first time. In addition, based on novel Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals, some relaxed conditions to assure system’s exponential stability are established. Finally, the effectiveness and practicability of the designed controller are demonstrated by numerical and application examples.