Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigating Changes in Mathematics Teachers’ Intentions Regarding Web 2.0 Technology Integration

This research was conducted to examine factors affecting pre-service mathematics teachers’ intentions to integrate Web 2.0 tools in their future teaching of mathematics. Thirty preservice teachers who registered for the elective course within the department comprised the study group for the research. At the beginning, middle and end of the two-credit course, three semistructured interviews, reflective journals and field notes were used to collect the qualitative data. The decomposed theory of planned behaviour was used to analyse the collected data. The results of this study showed that attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control explicitly influence pre-service mathematics teachers’ intentions regarding Web 2.0 technology integration. In particular, pre-service teachers expressed their inclination to use Web 2.0 applications in their professional lives so as to develop student learning, communication, and share teaching materials. Although future mathematics teachers plan to apply Web 2.0 technologies in mathematics education because of pedagogical outcomes, they held the belief that successful integration of Web 2.0 is contingent upon the meaningful integration of these technologies with mathematics topics being taught and learning outcomes. This study presents some recommendations for educators who will prepare pre-service mathematics teachers to integrate Web 2.0 technologies within the teacher education program.
Model theory, algebra and differential equations

In this thesis, we applied ideas and techniques from model theory, to study the structure of the sets of solutions XII - XV I , in a differentially closed field, of the Painleve equations. First we show that the generic XII - XV I , that is those with parameters in general positions, are strongly minimal and geometrically trivial. Then, we prove that the generic XII , XIV and XV are strictly disintegrated and that the generic XIII and XV I are ω-categorical. These results, already known for XI , are the culmination of the work started by P. Painleve (over 100 years ago), the Japanese school and many others on transcendence and the Painleve equations. We also look at the non generic second Painleve equations and show that all the strongly minimal ones are geometrically trivial.
Characterization of Azorhizobium caulinodans gen. nov., sp. nov., a stem-nodulating nitrogen-fixing bacterium isolated from Sesbania rostrata

Twenty stem- and root-nodulating bacterial strains isolated from stem nodules of Sesbania rostrata were compared by numerical analysis of 221 phenotypic features with nine strains which effectively nodulate only the roots of this plant and with representative strains from the genera Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium. Representative organisms from the different clusters were investigated further, together with possibly related organisms, by performing comparative gel electrophoresis of whole-cell proteins and by performing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-DNA and DNA-ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) hybridizations. 3H-labeled rRNA was prepared from Sesbania stem- and root-nodulating bacterial strain ORS 571T (T = type strain); [14C]rRNA from Bradyrhizobium japonicum NZP 5549T was also used. The following conclusions were drawn: (i) the Sesbania root-nodulating bacterial strains are genuine rhizobia; (ii) the Sesbania stem- and root-nodulating strains are quite different from Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium, and thus they constitute a separate rRNA subbranch on the Rhodopseudomonas palustris rRNA branch in rRNA superfamily IV; and (iii) the closest relative of these organisms is Xanthobacter, but they are phenotypically and genotypically sufficiently different from the latter genus to deserve a separate generic rank. Because the feature of free-living nitrogen fixation is quite discriminative, a new genus, Azorhizobium, is proposed, with one species, Azorhizobium caulinodans. The type strain is strain ORS 571 (= LMG 6465).
Choosing a Retirement Income Strategy: Outcome Measures and Best Practices

The race is on to build frameworks to evaluate retirement income strategies for clients facing various post-retirement circumstances. Retirement income planning is a complicated process in which clients must balance competing tradeoffs (maximize spending, protect from income shortfalls, leave a bequest) over an uncertain lifespan. After providing an overview of the basic building blocks of retirement income strategies, this article seeks to explain best practices, highlight potential missteps and problems which may arise, clarify areas where controversies and disagreements remain, and suggest further enhancements and modifications to make retirement income frameworks as useful as possible. The best practices described here include a description of the approaches and products to be included in a complete framework, the use of simulations or scenario testing as a way to understand how strategies respond in a variety of market circumstances, the need to connect asset market return assumptions to current market conditions rather than historical averages, the need to apply consistent fees across strategies, the need to distinguish how outcomes will differ when using either survival probabilities or fixed horizons, and other matters. The article concludes with a discussion of evaluation criteria, which can be subdivided into three general groupings. These include measures focusing on downside spending in bad luck cases, measures focusing on overall or upside spending or translating spending into the value it provides, and measures taking into account remaining assets at the end of the retirement period.
Algorithm development and validation for satellite‐derived distributions of DOC and CDOM in the U.S. Middle Atlantic Bight

[1] Oceanographic cruises were conducted within the U.S. Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) to collect field measurements to develop algorithms to retrieve surface ocean colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from NASA's MODIS-Aqua and SeaWiFS satellite sensors and to investigate the processes that influence the distributions of CDOM and DOC. In order to develop empirical algorithms for CDOM and DOC, the CDOM absorption coefficient (aCDOM) was correlated with in situ remote sensing reflectance band ratios, and DOC was then derived from aCDOM through the aCDOM to DOC relationships. Our validation analyses demonstrate successful retrieval of DOC and CDOM using MODIS and SeaWiFS with mean absolute percent differences from field measurements of 9.3 ± 7.3% for DOC, 19 ± 14% for aCDOM(355), 15.5 ± 12% for aCDOM(443), and 8.6 ± 4.9% for the CDOM spectral slope. To our knowledge, the algorithms presented here represent the first validated algorithms for satellite retrieval of aCDOM, DOC, and CDOM spectral slope in the coastal ocean. Satellite imagery demonstrates the importance of riverine/estuarine discharge from Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay to the export of CDOM and DOC to the coastal ocean. Between spring and summer, photooxidation has a significant impact on CDOM distributions resulting in a pronounced decrease in aCDOM between the midshelf and continental slope region of the MAB. The satellite-derived DOC products demonstrate the net ecosystem production of DOC of 12 to 34 μmol C L−1 between spring and summer. The aCDOM algorithms presented here are applicable to other coastal regions and can also be used to retrieve DOC using region-specific aCDOM to DOC relationships.
Usefulness of Bioindicators and Biomarkers in Pollution Biomonitoring

We have different possibilities and tools to assess the impact of pollution on marine ecosystems. The ecotoxicological approaches are based on the use of biomonitors and biomarkers. They aim to study the effect of toxic chemicals on the biological organisms especially at the population, community and ecosystem levels. The ultimate goal of ecotoxicology is to be able to predict the effects of pollution so that the most efficient and effective action to prevent or remediate any detrimental effect. In order to assess the impact of anthropogenic activities on the aquatic ecosystem and to insure compliance with regulation or guidelines, we use biomonitoring. This kind of approach is based on the use of biological responses in order to assess anthropogenic changes in the environment. Biomonitoring involves the use of indicator species such as filter feeding mollusk bivalves. These organisms tend to accumulate pollutants in their tissues without showing any apparent detrimental effect. Moreover, they could reflect the real bio available fraction of the pollutant. In order to have an early warning system predicting the pollution effects even at low levels, biomarkers were extensively studied. Some of them were validated in both field and in vivo conditions. In the present paper, the usefulness of bioindicators and biomarkers in pollution monitoring are discussed. An overview of results from case studies dealing with in situ, in vivo and transplantation experiments is presented.
Alter(n) und Straffälligkeit

Das Thema Alter(n) und Straffälligkeit beinhaltet drei Dimensionen: Zum einen geht es um Zusammenhänge zwischen dem Lebensalter und Straffälligkeit. Hierbei kann eine (aggregierte) Querschnittperspektive (Alter und Straffälligkeit) von einer (individuellen) Längsschnittbzw. Lebensverlaufsperspektive (Altern und Straffälligkeit) unterschieden werden. Zum anderen geht es speziell um Straffälligkeit im Alter. Der Schwerpunkt des vorliegenden Beitrags liegt auf dem letztgenannten Themenbereich. Da zum Verständnis von Kriminalität im höheren Lebensalter basale Kenntnisse zu den allgemeineren Zusammenhängen von Alter und Kriminalität hilfreich sind, werden diese zunächst einführend skizziert.
Adaptive Learning with Unknown Information Flows

An agent facing sequential decisions that are characterized by partial feedback needs to strike a balance between maximizing immediate payoffs based on available information, and acquiring new information that may be essential for maximizing future payoffs. This trade-off is captured by the multi-armed bandit (MAB) framework that has been studied and applied when at each time epoch payoff observations are collected on the actions that are selected at that epoch. In this paper we introduce a new, generalized MAB formulation in which additional information on each arm may appear arbitrarily throughout the decision horizon, and study the impact of such information flows on the achievable performance and the design of efficient decision-making policies. By obtaining matching lower and upper bounds, we characterize the (regret) complexity of this family of MAB problems as a function of the information flows. We introduce an adaptive exploration policy that, without any prior knowledge of the information arrival process, attains the best performance (in terms of regret rate) that is achievable when the information arrival process is a priori known. Our policy uses dynamically customized virtual time indexes to endogenously control the exploration rate based on the realized information arrival process.
Recent developments in the diagnosis and management of Sjögren’s syndrome

Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a common immune disease that mainly affects the exocrine glands, which clinically present xerostomia, keratoconjuctivitis sicca and serological autoantibodies including rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, anti-SS-A and anti-SS-B. The prevalence of SS is high but underestimated in the general population. SS may involve many other organs and tissues including lung (interstitial lung disease), kidney (renal tubular acidosis and hypokalemia), nerve (peripheral neuropathy), vessel (vasculitis, Raynauld’s phenomenon), bladder (interstitial cystitis), lymph node (lymphaenopathy), liver (autoimmune hepatitis), pancreas (pancreatitis) and GI (reflux esophagitis, peptic ulcer). In 2010, a new disease activity, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Sjogren Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) was proposed. Diagnosis of SS is based upon the 2002 classification criteria of SS, which originated from the 1996 European classification criteria. Methods for diagnosis of SS inclu.
Influence of Small Cereal Intercropping and Additive Series of Seed Proportion on the Yield and Yield Component of Lupine (Lupinus Spp.) in North Western Ethiopia

Small cereals as a main crop and lupine as a minor crop are food crops often traditionally grown in association in North Western Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted on intercropping of lupine (Lupinus albus L.) with wheat (Triticum aestivum), barley (Hordeum vulgar) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) in 2009 at Adet Agricultural research station. The treatments were sole wheat at a seed rate of 175 kg/ ha, sole barley at a seed rate of 125 kg/ ha, sole finger millet at a seed rate of 30 kg/ ha, sole lupine at a seed rate of 90 kg/ ha, and an additive series of 25, 50 and 75 % of the sole lupine seed rate combined with the full cereal seed rate to determine the effect of small cereal intercropping in additive series on the yield and yield component of lupine. The experimental design was a completely randomized block with nine intercropping and four sole cropping systems in three replications. Lupine was planted in rows after establishment of main crops. SAS software’s were used to compute the analysis of variance. Maximum lupine seed proportion was superior to the lowest when intercropped with wheat and finger millet. The lowest population density resulted in reduced agronomic attributes of lupine. Intercropping higher proportion of lupine with wheat and finger millet did help much in increasing grain yield and biomass yield of lupine without affecting cereal crop yield. However, nearly complete dominance of barley over lupine at all seeding ratios leads to absolute reduction in grain yield. The lupine-finger millet mixture at the 50:100 and 75:100 seeding ratio and lupine-wheat mixture at the 75:100 seeding ratio had a higher yield advantage of intercropping for exploiting the resources of the environment compared with the other intercropping systems.
Yedoma Ice Complex of the Buor Khaya Peninsula (southern Laptev Sea)

Abstract. The composition of perennially frozen deposits holds information on the palaeo-environment during and following deposition. In this study, we investigate late Pleistocene permafrost at the western coast of the Buor Khaya Peninsula in the south-central Laptev Sea (Siberia), namely the prominent eastern Siberian Yedoma Ice Complex (IC). Two Yedoma IC exposures and one drill core were studied for cryolithological (i.e. ice and sediment features), geochemical, and geochronological parameters. Borehole temperatures were measured for 3 years to capture the current thermal state of permafrost. The studied sequences were composed of ice-oversaturated silts and fine-grained sands with considerable amounts of organic matter (0.2 to 24 wt %). Syngenetic ice wedges intersect the frozen deposits. The deposition of the Yedoma IC, as revealed by radiocarbon dates of sedimentary organic matter, took place between 54.1 and 30.1 kyr BP. Continued Yedoma IC deposition until about 14.7 kyr BP is shown by dates from organic matter preserved in ice-wedge ice. For the lowermost and oldest Yedoma IC part, infrared-stimulated luminescence dates on feldspar show deposition ages between 51.1 ± 4.9 and 44.2 ± 3.6 kyr BP. End-member modelling was applied to grain-size-distribution data to determined sedimentation processes during Yedoma IC formation. Three to five robust end-members were detected within Yedoma IC deposits, which we interpret as different modes of primary and reworked unconfined alluvial slope and fan deposition as well as of localized eolian and fluvial sediment, which is overprinted by in situ frost weathering. The cryolithological inventory of the Yedoma IC preserved on the Buor Khaya Peninsula is closely related to the results of other IC studies, for example, to the west on the Bykovsky Peninsula, where formation time (mainly during the late Pleistocene marine isotope stages (MIS) 3 interstadial) and formation conditions were similar. Local freezing conditions on Buor Khaya, however, differed and created solute-enriched (salty) and isotopically light pore water pointing to a small talik layer and thaw-bulb freezing after deposition. Due to intense coastal erosion, the biogeochemical signature of the studied Yedoma IC represents the terrestrial end-member, and is closely related to organic matter currently being deposited in the marine realm of the Laptev Sea shelf.
Anti-SARS Drug Discovery and Development

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is caused by a novel coronavirus originally found in Guangdong, China in 2002, creating a global medical and economical crisis. Due to the unknown nature of this newly emerged disease and the lack of effective treatments, the initial rapid spread of the disease resulted in more than 700 deaths around the world (1, 2). Figures 1 and 2 show the life cycle and replication of SARS coronavirus. At the early stage of the pandemic, we organized an anti-SRAS drug discovery program to screen about ten thousand compounds and natural products that were collected from many research laboratories. The anti-SARS compound screening was initiated in a P-4 laboratory at Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense University, Taipei, Taiwan using the prevention of SARS-mediated cytotoxicity as the criterion for the selection of antiSARS compounds. Figure 3 summarizes the protocol used for our anti-SARS screening (3). The positive compounds (or hits) identified were subjected to a serial validation studies including virology studies (infection induced Fig 1. The life cycle of SARS coronavirus.
The Effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on development and hyperekplexia in embryonic zebrafish model

Marijuana is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs around the world. It has gained attention as an alternative medicine to many different disorders. Though initially investigated in modern medicine for its analgesic and antiemetic properties, cannabis has been recently found to benefit numerous neurological disorders. Though there are over 100 different cannabinoids produced by the cannabis plant, Δ – tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been shown to the most efficacious phytocannabinoid in neurological disorders. THC has been shown in numerous previous studies to be effective at treating spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, as well as seizures. Through binding of the endogenous cannabinoid receptor system THC is able to affect both the excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Hyperekplexia is an upper motor neuron disease characterized by hypertonia and exaggerated startle response. In Hyperekplexia, there is a decrease in inhibitory synapse caused by a loss of glycine receptors. Because previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of THC in disorders similar to hyperekplexia, it should be investigated as a treatment for this disorder as well. This study demonstrates that in embryonic zebrafish, THC does not detrimentally affect the development of the synapses needed to complete the startle response. Additionally, this study supports the use of THC as a treatment option for the alleviation of spasticity caused by hyperekplexia. The effects of THC on development and hyperekplexia in embryonic zebrafish model 3
Convexity ranks in higher dimensions

A subset of a vector space is called countably convex if it is a countable union of convex sets. Classification of countably convex subsets of topological vector spaces is addressed in this paper. An ordinal-valued rank function % is introduced to measure the complexity of local nonconvexity points in subsets of topological vector spaces. Then % is used to give a necessary and sufficient condition for countable convexity of closed sets. Theorem. Suppose that S is a closed subset of a Polish linear space. Then S is countably convex if and only if there exists α 2 and are seen to be drastically more complicated than uncountably convex closed subsets of R2.
Fairness Reactions to the Employment Interview

The current research explores applicants’ reactions to the employment interview and how these are associated with core self-evaluations and proactivity along with perceptions of the interviewer and interview’s justice perceptions of post-interview outcomes (behavioral intentions, job attractiveness, and organizational attractiveness). We also explored the role of perceived organizational support (POS) in these relationships. We employ a cross-sectional approach, with the participation of 238 actual job applicants, using a survey methodology. We demonstrated the important role of core self-evaluations in fairness perceptions of the interview, along with the significant role of some interview characteristics, more importantly informativeness and personableness. Finally, applicants’ perceptions of the employer were also strongly associated with interview’s justice perceptions and post-interview outcomes. This is one of the first and very few studies exploring this topic in a non-English culture (in Greece), with actual job applicants, not students.
Control Architecture Design for Autonomous Vehicles

The system design of an autonomous vehicle encompasses numerous different interconnected sensing and control algorithms that can be devised in several ways, and the system has to be extensively tested and verified before employed on roads. Full-scale testing of such a system is complex due to the involved time effort, cost aspects, and safety considerations. In this tutorial paper, we give an overview of the design, implementation, and testing of the control stack in autonomous vehicles, based on our research on motion planning and control. We use scaled vehicles as part of the testing and verification of the system design. Scaled vehicles provide possibilities to test some of the relevant interplay in the control stack and robustness to time delays and sensor errors. We illustrate how scaled vehicles can help reduce the amount of full-scale testing, by finding shortcomings of the system design before deploying it on a full-scale test setup.
Derivation Method for Determining Sorbitol in Fruit Trees

The goal of this study is to describe a methodology for the analysis of D-sorbitol using benzyl alcohol as derivatizing agent and liquid chromatography equipped with a diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD). The study was performed at the University of S&atildeo Paulo State (UNESP), Ilha Solteira Campus, Brazil. The axillary buds of fruit trees were collected from the UNESP Teaching and Research Farm. Benzyl alcohol was used as derivatizing agent to extract D-sorbitol from the buds. Next, the D-sorbitol underwent solid phase extraction (SPE) using C18 cartridges and was then analyzed by liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD). The HPLC-DAD derivatization method proposed showed excellent chromatography resolution and high accuracy in the separation of D-sorbitol (derivatized) for the axillary buds of avocado, black mulberry, Japanese pear and peach and also enabled eliminating the use of hazardous derivatizing agents.