Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CREATIVE METHODS IN TRANSFORMING EDUCATION USING HUMAN RESOURCES / KŪRYBINIAI METODAI PERTVARKANT ŠVIETIMĄ PASITELKUS ŽMOGIŠKUOSIUS IŠTEKLIUS

Language teaching has become more learner-centered for last three decades. Teachers with a potential of being change-agent received considerable attention of researchers. Teachers need to reconsider their traditional role in helping learners control their learning. Present study investigated viable autonomy-supportive teaching role and creative practices teachers can follow to aid their learners in becoming autonomous. Data were collected from 16 university teachers teaching English communication skills at Bachelor of Science level in public sector universities of the Punjab, Pakistan. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather teachers’ perceptions. Results revealed that teachers perceived their role vital in developing learner autonomy but they considered a meaningful change in present role with a gradual shift of learning responsibilities from teacher to learner. Moreover, 11 autonomy-supportive teaching practices were suggested to enable learners to control their learning. Study proposed teachers to be trained for their new role, and must have teaching autonomy to materialize autonomy-supportive practices. Santrauka Per pastaruosius tris desimtmecius kalbos mokymas tapo labiau orientuotas į besimokantįjį. Dėstytojai, galintys skatinti pokycius, sulaukė didelio tyrėjų dėmesio. Dėstytojai turi is naujo apsvarstyti savo tradicinį vaidmenį, besimokantiesiems padedant valdyti jų mokymąsi. Dabartiniuose tyrimuose imamasi perspektyvaus savarankisko mokymo vaidmens ir kūrybinių metodų, kuriuos gali taikyti dėstytojai, siekiantys padėti savo studentams tapti savarankiskiems. Duomenys surinkti is 16 universiteto dėstytojų, ugdancių anglų kalbos komunikacijos gebėjimus bakalauro studijose Pandžabo (Pakistanas) viesojo sektoriaus universitetuose. Siekiant issiaiskinti dėstytojų nuomones, buvo surengta individualių pusiau struktūruotų interviu. Rezultatai atskleidė, kad, plėtojant besimokanciojo savarankiskumą, dėstytojai savo vaidmenį suprato kaip svarbų, taciau jie laikėsi nuomonės, jog dabartinis vaidmuo labai pasikeitė mokymo(si) atsakomybių atžvilgiu palaipsniui pereinant nuo dėstytojo prie besimokanciojo. Dargi buvo pasiūlyta 11 savarankiskų mokymo metodų, kurie teikia besimokantiesiems galimybes valdyti savo mokymąsi. Tyrime dėstytojams siūloma rengtis naujam vaidmeniui, be to, mokymosi savarankiskumą privalu įgyvendinti taikant savarankiskumą ugdancius metodus. Reiksminiai žodžiai: savarankiskumą ugdanti aplinka, bendradarbiavimo veikla, vadovas, mokymosi savarankiskumas, dėstytojo vaidmuo.
Application of TOPSIS to Analyze Stakeholder Relations

In parallel to the increasing competition in business environment, managing stakeholder relations has become critical for most organizations. Balancing the interests of various parties in the nexus of their relative power can increase the difficulty of managing relations with these key stakeholders. Therefore, most organizations need to adapt a new approach when evaluating their relations with stakeholders. The purpose of this study is to analyze stakeholder relations with considering their relative power and interests in a given set of stakeholders. A survey was conducted on a sample of 59 managers and the data was analyzed through following the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The results of study revealed that both power and interest of stakeholder should be considered in the assessment of stakeholder relationship.
Measurement of Target Parameters Using the Dsss Radar

With the technological growth of broadband wireless technology like CDMA, OFDM and MIMO, a lots of development efforts towards wireless communication system and imaging radar system are well justified. It has been recently shown that multiple- input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna systems have the potential to dramatically improve the performance of communication systems over single antenna systems. Efforts are also being imparted towards a Convergence Technology. The convergence between a communication and radar technology which will result in ITS (Intelligent Transport System) and other applications. This motivates development of the present article. This is an effort in the direction to utilize or converge the communication technologies towards radar and to achieve the interference and clutter free quality remote images of targets.
IN CYBER CAFES IN KENYA : A SURVEY OF CYBER CAFES IN NAIROBI

Open source is a concept that encourages access to a producer’s source or raw materials. In the Information Technology field it means allowing software users to access the programming code and empowering them alter this code to improve on the performance of the software. The main benefits that arise from adopting the open source concept in software development include: cost effectiveness, enhanced system stability, security and flexibility. In Kenya cyber cafes provide access to internet services to a majority of the population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether cyber cafe s in Nairobi have adopted open source software, and the benefits as well as the challenges that have resulted from open source software. The study incorporated the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework in evaluating the adoption of open source, with perceived ease of use being one of the variables in the study. This was a case study covering cyber cafe s within the Nairobi CBD; with the population data set comprising o f 47 cyber cafes that are listed in Mocality and the Yellow Pages online directory websites. The data collection was through structured questionnaires administered using the drop and pick approach. The data was analysed using means and standard deviation as a measure of variation in responses. A majority of cyber cafes have adopted open source software especially the browsing applications and operating systems such as Linux. Price, security and availability were cited by the respondents as the major benefits resulting from using open source software. The study recommends that the government develops an open source policy framework to govern its use, and also advocates for open source to be incorporated in the Information Technology curriculum especially in public institutions. This will enable users and organisations to fully exploit the potential of open source software.
Water-entrained cement-based materials by superabsorbent polymers: On the fundamentals…

The use of superabsorbent polymers in cement-based materials is focused in the mitigation of autogenous phenomena. Hence, by providing the necessary water to control the volume change occurring at early-age, the deformation of cement-silica paste is controlled, as measured by linear displacement methods. The mechanisms of internal curing in high performance cement-based materials are poorly understood. The present study will bring into perspective several aspects related with the water movement from superabsorbent polymer particles with varying diameter size to the surrounding cement paste, by examining the water state in water-entrained and non water-entrained cement-silica pastes. The effect of size of superabsorbent polymer particles on autogenous deformation is analysed by linear dilatometer measurements and the relation between expansion and shrinkage with the water state in time is discussed. The results indicate that superabsorbent polymers are able to imbibe the bulk paste, but the particle size may have significant effect on the subsequent deformation. It is proposed that mechanical effects such as self-restraint of the pore structure may play an important role as governing mechanism in the course of the early-age deformation, after capillary suction and internal curing. As a consequence, it may be that the internal curing water may be partially kept in the superabsorbent during longer periods while diffusion to the bulk cement paste is finalised.
A case study of hybrid strategies to create value for a contracting business in the education sector in England and Wales

Successful hybrid strategies adopt service marketing principles although the adoption of those principles by construction marketers is not apparent. Through an interpretive inquiry approach attempting to capture multiple views in a case of successful strategic programmes for the primary school market, various value co-creation elements of the programmes are assessed according to four axioms of service-dominant (S-D) logic. The strategic programmes were found to create value by (1) developing new skills and knowledge, building relationships to leverage skills and close the knowledge gaps; (2) enhancing interactions through customer engagement, dialogue creation and enrichment, the use of BIM technologies and social networks; (3) strengthening many-to-many relationships through supply chain integration; and (4) assisting individual customers to define their value propositions and to evaluate them through free self-service systems, and products and services inquiries. Further research is needed to assess how customers value the various co-creation elements identified in the paperevidence for applying the generic value co-creation principles to marketing in construction.
Cued aversive classical conditioning in humans: The role of trait-anxiety

No study so far has specifically addressed the influence of individual differences in trait-anxiety on aversive classical conditioning as indexed by the startle reflex response. We compared the startle reflex responses between participants classified as high (n = 25) and low (n = 26) in trait-anxiety while undergoing a single-cue aversive classical conditioning procedure. High trait-anxiety group showed a greater startle response to the CS relative to the ITI at the post-acquisition compared with the pre-acquisition phase. Low trait-anxiety group did not show such a clear pattern of conditioning, and results from this group seem to be concealed by differences in the startle responses to the CS and the ITI during the pre-acquisition phase. However, a post-hoc analysis in which such differences at pre-conditioning were removed showed no conditioning effects in low trait-anxiety participants. Taking together, these results suggest differences between high and low trait-anxiety groups in the acquisition of the CS-US association. However, further research should clarify the unexpected pattern of responses shown by low trait-anxiety group.
Electrical Stimulation in Addition to Passive Exercise Has a Small Effect on Spasticity and Range of Motion in Bedridden Elderly Patients: A Pilot Randomized Crossover Study

Purpose: Belt electrode skeletal muscle electrical stimulation (B-SES) can stimulate large portions of muscles including deep sites without localisation of the stimulation area. The purpose of this study is to investigate both immediate treatment effects of B-SES and long-term treatment effects of B-SES with passive exercise on range of motion (ROM) and muscle tone of lower extremities in bedridden elderly patients. Methods: Outcome measures before and after B-SES treatment alone (4 Hz, 20 min, both lower extremities) were examined for the immediate effect. Outcome measures were: ROM and Modified Ashworth scale (MAS) of hip flexion and adduction; knee flexion and extension; and knee joint distance at position of flexion abduction in hip (distance of knee). A randomized crossover trial was conducted to examine the long-term effect of adding B-SES to passive exercise on ROM and MAS. Results and Discussion: The immediate effect study had 18 patients. ROM and MAS of 4 joint angles in 2 joints and distance of knee significantly improved after B-SES treatment. The long-term effect study had 11 patients. Friedman test revealed ROM and MAS of 4 joint angles in 2 joints and distance of knee significantly improved during B-SES intervention but not control intervention. B-SES in addition to passive stretch has a more statistically significant effect on contracture and spasticity in large portions of the lower extremities of bedridden elderly patients than passive stretching alone. Conclusions: We consider B-SES a useful tool to improve the ROM in lower extremities of bedridden patients.
Modelling the Egyptian Shadow Economy: A MIMIC model and A Currency Demand approach

We estimate the size and trend of the Egyptian shadow economy using two of the most commonly used methods: the currency demand approach and the structural equation MIMIC model. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to estimate an index of the size of the shadow economy in Egypt during the last four decades (1976 to 2013). We address the long term association between the variables, relax the assumption of multivariate normality and demonstrate different scenarios of constraining the reference variable in the MIMIC model. In addition to the standard explanatory variables used in the literature, we consider variables that are specifically related to the Egyptian economy such as self-employment, agricultural importance and a proxy for institutional quality of democratic institutions. Our results indicate a decreasing trend of the size of the shadow economy, yet it still has a huge weight on the official GDP for a developing country like Egypt leading to some negative externalities and thus hindering the development of the country.
Immune responses of calves after vaccination with a live attenuated derivative of Pasteurella multocida B:2

The primary aim of this research was to investigate safety and potency of an aroA mutant of Pasteurella multocida serotype B:2 (JRMT12) as a live vaccine candidate in cattle against experimental haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS). To do this, three different experiments were set up to study the responses of calves to vaccination with the aroA strain and their response to challenge with the parent wild type 85020 strain one week after vaccination: 1) Different routes of vaccination, intranasal (IN) and intramuscular (IM) using two doses of 109 CPU of the aroA strain with a 4-week interval; 2) Different doses (107, 108 and 109 CFU) injected twice IM; 3) A single IM vaccination with 108 CPU. Safety of JRMT12 was assessed by determination of clinical responses (rectal temperature and demeanour) and changes in serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoblobin (Hp), taken as indicators of the progress and severity of infection. IN injection of calves with c.109 CFU of the mutant did not cause any clinical signs of HS. IM injection of c. 109 CPU of the mutant caused some typical clinical signs of the disease such as dullness and there was a clinical response manifested by a rise in rectal temperature and SAA levels. IM injection of calves with lower doses (c.108 and c.107 CFU) of JRMT12 did not cause disease symptoms but significantly increased the concentrations of SAA levels at 3 hours after both the primary and booster IM vaccinations. Our results showed that the mutant could be safely administered to calves. Potency was assessed by measurement of serum antibodies (IgG and IgM) to P. multocida B:2 and by survival rate after subcutaneous challenge with the wild type strain. Vaccination with JRMT12 was able to induce a strong antibody response only after a second IM dose. Lower IgG titres were detected after the second vaccination with 108 or 107 CFU. A similar pattern of response was seen with IgM titres. IN-vaccinated calves showed no detectable antibody response to one or two doses of vaccine. All of the animals vaccinated twice IM with JRMT12 at doses of 109, 108 and 107 CPU were solidly immune to challenge with 107 CPU of P. multocida B:2 wild type. A single IM vaccination of calves with 108 CPU of JRMT12 did not confer protection against challenge. IM vaccination twice with 108 CFU was considered an optimum dose that fully protected calves but showed no obvious reactogenicity. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).
miR-370 inhibits the oxidative stress and apoptosis of cardiac myocytes induced by hydrogen peroxide by targeting FOXO1

Myocardial infarction, one of the main factors that threatens human health, leads to cardiac cell death. Myocardial cells suffer ischemia and hypoxia for a long period of time, which can lead to irreversible cell death or apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction. MicroRNAs (miRs) have been reported to play an important role in a wide range of biological processes in cardiac myocytes, which respond to inflammation and oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of miR-370 on oxidative stress and apoptosis of cardiac myocytes in ischemic H9C2 cells induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). H9C2 cells were cultured and treated with different concentrations of H2O2 solution. Then, cells were transfected with miR-370 mimic or negative control (NC) mimic, small interfering (si)-RNA-Forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) and NC siRNA. A Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry assay were conducted to detect cell viability and cell apoptosis. The expression of oxidative stress associated factors were detected by ELISA. The levels of miR-370 and FOXO1 were examined using western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. A luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to verify whether FOXO1 was a target gene of miR-370. The results revealed that miR-370 expression was downregulated and FOXO1 expression was increased in H9C2 cells induced by H2O2. Additionally, FOXO1 was proven to be a target of miR-370. The ELISA and flow cytometry assay revealed that miR-370 overexpression and FOXO1 silencing reversed H2O2-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis. The results indicated that miR-370 could inhibit the oxidative stress and apoptosis of H9C2 cells induced by H2O2 by targeting FOXO1. Therefore, miR-370 may be a new therapeutic target for ischemic heart disease.
Meaningful Experiences of Community-Based Support Workers for Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury

ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iii TABLE OF CONTENTS . iv LIST OF TABLES . vii LIST OF FIGURES . viii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION . 1 Background and Significance of the Study . 1 Researcher Background . 2 Definition of Key Terms . 3 Acquired brain injury. 3 Health and wellbeing. 4 Paid care work, support work and respite. 4 Quality of life. 5 Youth and young adult. 5 Thesis Organization . 5 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW . 6 Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). 6 Long-term Impairments of Brain Injury . 6 Post-injury social outcomes . 8 Supporting an Individual with a Brain Injury . 9 Social support and family functioning. 9 Community Integration and Inclusion for Individuals with ABI . 10 Barriers to Community Integration and Inclusion for Individuals with Disabilities . 12 Job Roles and Responsibilities of Support Workers . 13 Training Needs of Support Workers . 15 The Current Study . 16 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY . 18
LiDAR estimation of mean dominant height, quadratic mean canopy height and stem density in native sclerophyll forests.

Plot level mean dominant height and quadratic mean canopy height were estimated quite accurately using the LiDAR data, and a new method for estimating the number of trees per hectare from LiDAR data was developed and used to predict the stem density for sample plots from two different types of native sclerophyll forests. R of the regression model for the mean dominant height was 87.09 % for the Central Highlands Ash Regrowth (CHAR) and 92.1 % for the Black Range Mixed Species (BRMS) forest. Similarly, R of the regression model for the quadratic mean canopy height was 48.4 % for the CHAR and 92.7 % for the BRMS forest. The number of trees were predicted with mean prediction error of 64.12 trees per hectare for calibration plots and 105.29 trees per hectare for validation plots in CHAR forest which is a wet sclerophyll forest. In the RRMS forest which represents a dry sclerophyll forests, prediction error for number of trees was 79.99 trees per hectare for calibration plots and 4.96 trees per hectare for validation plots.
A comparative genomics approach to the identification of QTL candidate genes

• Despite rapid advances in sequencing technology, many commercially relevant species remain unsequenced, and many that are sequenced have very poorly annotated genomes. There is therefore still considerable interest in using comparative approaches to exploit information from well-characterised model organisms in order to better understand related species. This paper develops a statistical method for automating part of a comparative genomics bioinformatic pipeline for the identification of genes and genomic regions in a model organism associated with a QTL region in an unsequenced species. A non-parametric Bayesian statistical model is used for characterising the density of a large number of BLAST hits across a model species genome. The method is illustrated using a test problem demonstrating that markers associated with Bovine hemoglobin can be automatically mapped to a region of the human genome containing human hemoglobin genes. Consequently, by exploiting the (relatively) high quality of genome annotation for model organisms and humans it is possible to quickly identify candidate genes in those well-characterised genomes relevant to the quantitative trait of interest. Key-Words: • Bayesian; non-parametric; density estimation; QTL; BLAST; mapping; comparative genomics. AMS Subject Classification: • 62F15, 62G07, 92D99. 2 H. Jow, R.J. Boys and D.J. Wilkinson Identification of QTL Candidate Genes 3
Validation of lateral visibility of the ligament as a characteristic for fast discrimination between juveniles of Cerastoderma edule and C. glaucum (Mollusca, Bivalvia).

Many different methods have been used to differentiate Cerastoderma edule (L., 1758) from C. glaucum (Bruguiere,1789). However, very few of them are fast and valid for specimens less than 10 – 12 mm length. Although the lateral visibility of the ligament has been described as a discriminating trait, it is seldom used despite the fact that it can be applied immediately. To determine the validity of this characteristic at the juvenile stage, a group of specimens from both species was identified using both this and other methods based on the relationships between different valve sizes. In all of the specimens identified with these methods as C. glaucum , the ligament could not be detected in lateral view and vice versa, whereas the contrary is true for C. edule .
Industry Agglomeration and Wage Differentiation: An Empirical Study on Taiwan’s Manufacturing Industry

In this paper, we applying the segmented regression model to test the concept of critical mass in the model of agglomeration externality by setting agglomeration degree(AD) as the threshold variable to investigate the relationship between the industry agglomeration and the wage differentiation of employees in Taiwan’s manufacturing industry. Our estimated results prove that there exists a threshold effect of AD as determining wage rate of an employee and confirm that the AD of an industry can significantly influences the wage rate of an employee, no matter where he/she works. The marginal effect of AD on wage rate is higher for workers who work outside the cluster than the insiders in the manufacturing industry, as well as in the high-tech industries.
Space-Time-Controlled Multi-Stage Pulsed Magnetic Field Forming

Electromagnetic forming (EMF) is a high strain-rate forming method where a pulsed electromagnetic force is applied to a conductive metallic workpiece. To improve the performance of the EMF system, the current problems which restrict its extensive application have been analyzed. To this end, a space-time-controlled EMF technology with multi-stage and multi-direction coils system has been developed. In our new EMF system, the magnetic field generated by driving coils is much higher than in conventional EMF due to introducing design methods developed for non-destructive pulsed high field magnets. This technology enables the forming of complex, large-scale sheets and tubes that may be difficult to deform by conventional methods, as well as controlling particular properties of the work pieces.