Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are 21 st century skills found in science education standards

Paper Goals The goals of this paper are to examine the extent to which current prescriptive plans for science education in the US already include elements that teach 21 century skills. The 21 century skills examined include: adaptability, complex communication skills, non-routine problem solving skills, self management skills, and systems thinking, as defined by the NRC (National Research Council, 2008). The paper focuses on the National Science Education Standards (NSES), which represent the broadest single influence on science education in the US, and state science standards, which represent the most direct influence on science instruction and learning. I examine the standards from 9 different states: Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. These states are part of a Partnership for 21 Century Skills (http://www.21stcenturyskills.org), and thus may be particularly interested to understand how well their own state science standards cover 21 Century Skills. While containing no representation from the West or South of the US, these 9 states represent a broad range of styles of science standards, relative dominance of different industries, and general voting patterns. Although not formally analyzed in this same way, I have read state standards from many other states, and this collection of state standards seemed representative to me of the variety found in the US. To understand why it is useful to look at national and state standards, it is important to understand what factors influence teaching in US public schools in the current NCLB context.
First direct observation of the tau neutrino

History I n 1930 W. Pauli, in a famous letter to his colleagues, postulated the existence of a new particle the neutrino. Pauli presented the neutrino as an explanation ofthe observation that the decay of the neutron produced a continuous B-spectrum. Since then, great progress has been made in particle physics to describe the most fundamental constituents and interaction of matter. Nevertheless, many fundamental questions about neutrinos need to be answered. For example: Are neutrinos massive? Do they have a magnetic moment? Do they oscillate? Does a sterile neutrino exist? Is there direct evidence for the existence ofthe tau neutrino? The last question was finally answered in July 2000 by a group of 52 physicists from the DONUT Collaboration (Ferrnilab experiment E872) at Ferrnilab near Chicago. The tau neutrino was postulated in 1975 after the discovery of the tau lepton by M. 1. Perl et al. as the third generation neutrino in the Standard Model ofelectroweak interactions [1]. Glashow, Salam and Weinberg proposed the Standard Model in the late 1960s as a unified theory of the electromagnetic and weak interactions based on the gauge group SU(2) xU(l). This model has been successful in describing all recent experimental observations. Neutrinos enter this model as massless, neutral fermions. From measurements ofthe ZO decay width, it was determined that there are three light neutrinos in nature. The charged and neutral leptons in the Standard Model are represented by three left-handed doublets ofweak isospin.
In vitro antioxidant activity and antibacterial properties of trunk bark of Pericopsis laxiflora Benth. (Leguminosae)

Owing the side effects of synthetic antioxidants and the emergence of multidrug resistance, research is moving more towards plant substances ascribed various biological properties. The present study aims to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of Pericopsis laxiflora (Benth.) a plant of the Ivorian pharmacopoeia. The antioxidant potency was evaluated using two complementary techniques, inhibition of the free radical DPPH (2.2 diphenyl picryl hydrazyl 1) and the ferric thiocyanate (FTC) test. The antibacterial activity was conducted on pathogenic strains isolated reference and clinical strains of pathological material. Susceptibility tests were performed on solid medium using the method of the wells. Macrodilution method in liquid medium was used to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC). The results showed the existence of a considerable antioxidant activity of the extract tested with an IC50 value of 5.71 ± 1.42 mg/mL and an inhibition of lipid peroxidation rate of 66%. Moreover, results of antibacterial activity have proved the effectiveness of our extract against all selected with inhibition values of diameters varying from 10 to 21 mm and MIC and MBC values respectively ranging from 0.39 to 12.5 mg/mL and 0.78 to 25 mg strains/mL. It follows from this work that the bivalent properties observed are related to the presence of phenolic compounds in the plant. In these conditions, the plant could be used in the treatment of several pathologies such as cellular aging and infectious diseases. Keywords: Pericopsis laxiflora, antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity, Cote d’Ivoire
Title Hemispheric asymmetry in perception : A differential encodingaccount

■ Hemispheric asymmetry in the processing of local and global features has been argued to originate from differences in frequency filtering in the two hemispheres, with little neurophysiological support. Here we test the hypothesis that this asymmetry takes place at an encoding stage beyond the sensory level, due to asymmetries in anatomical connections within each hemisphere. We use two simple encoding networks with differential connection structures as models of differential encoding in the two hemispheres based on a hypothesized generalization of neuroanatomical evidence from the auditory modality to the visual modality: The connection structure between columns is more distal in the language areas of the left hemisphere andmore local in the homotopic regions in the right hemisphere. We show that both processing differences and differential frequency filtering can arise naturally in this neurocomputational model with neuroanatomically inspired differences in connection structures within the two model hemispheres, suggesting that hemispheric asymmetry in the processing of local and global features may be due to hemispheric asymmetry in connection structure rather than in frequency tuning. ■
Near-Field Dynamics of Diesel and Biodiesel Sprays at 200 MPa Injection Pressure

High-pressure, high-speed diesel fuel sprays are complex multiphase flow phenomena. Great efforts have been devoted to understand their dynamics that is essential to the breakup, especially, in this near-nozzle region. However, conventional optical techniques are not effective to probe the dynamics in the first several millimeters of the optically dense region, where liquid is fast and in a complex morphology. By taking advantage of highintensity and high-brilliance x-ray beams available at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), the morphology of the sprays can be imaged with ultrafast x-ray micro-imaging techniques and with sub-ns temporal resolution. Furthermore, two short x-ray pulses (sub-nanosecond to a few nanoseconds) with a variety of intervals can be used to visualize the high-speed sprays. By tracking the movement of features in the double-exposure images without the need of seed particles, it becomes well possible to derive velocity fields of the sprays in the nearnozzle region. To understand near-field flow dynamics of diesel and biodiesel sprays injected at 200 MPa and travelling at a velocity exceeding 600 m/s, double-exposed images were taken using x-ray pulses with time interval of 68 ns. By using auto-correlation analysis, the near-field spray velocity can be obtained quantitatively. We recorded the double-exposed x-ray images and derived auto-correlation functions of diesel and biodiesel sprays under various injection pressures up to 200 MPa. We note that 200 MPa injection pressure is not the maximum limit for the x-ray method rather it was limited by the specification of the fuel-injection system. The theoretical velocity was calculated using Bernoulli equation, which was compared against measurement. The results showed that the axial velocity increased with increase in injection pressure and reached over 600 m/s at 200 MPa injection pressure. We also made comparison between diesel and biodiesel sprays under various injection pressures. To probe the interaction between the sprays and surrounding gas, the local flow velocities were measured at different axial and radial locations. The results will prove valuable in providing validation of internal-flow and spray modeling.
FACE-TO-FACE Vs ONLINE LEARNING: FACTORS INFLUENCING SUCCESS

It is widely acknowledged that ICT - information communication technologies can enhance online teaching and learning processes. In the context of language learning, the effectiveness of ICT utilisation for the development of online courses has gained many opponents. They question whether students in online sections can reach the same learning outcomes as their peers in respective face-toface sections. The current work is a theoretical framework that investigates the factors that should be taken into consideration in order for the online students of language courses to reach the same learning outcomes like students in the respective face-to-face sections. More specifically, the current research work is divided into two phases. Phase I presents an in-depth literature review on pedagogies of delivering courses in face-to-face vs. online mode of delivery and identifies the obstacles in the effective use of online language learning. Phase II is still in process. The authors intend to strengthen the current research through qualitative data with the involvement of students and lecturers.
Extraction of Chrysophyllum albidum Seed Oil: Optimization and Characterization

This work presents the result of the optimization of extraction of oil from Chrysophyllum albidum seed using ethanol as solvent. A 2 3 factorial designs with replication was employed to study the effect particle size, time, and temperature of extraction. The oil yield from extraction was 12.70 – 16.85 % with the optimal yield of 16.85 % at particle size of 500 µm, temperature of 55 0 C, and a time of 6 hours. Characterizations of the oil reveal a Saponification value of 228.4mgKOH/g, iodine value of 30 gI 2 /100g, peroxide value of 1.45 meq/kg, acid value of 2.52 mgKOH/g. The oil extracted from this seed can be effectively used for variety of domestic and industrial application such as the making of paint, candles, soap and biodiesel. Keywords: Optimization, Characterization, Chrysophyllum albidum , Oil
Potential Phagostimulants for the Subterranean Termite, Microtermes obesi (Blattodea: Termitidae)

Glucose, yeast, urea, and poplar sawdust extract were tested for their phagostimulant properties on the subterranean termite, Microtermes obesi Holmgren (Blattodea: Termitidae). Termites were attracted to all of the compounds tested and they survived for a long period of time. The maximum percent survival was 4% for glucose, 1% for yeast, and 4% for urea. The highest consumption was for a bait having 4% glucose, followed by 3% yeast, 3% urea, and distilled water, respectively. Maximum termite survival was for filter papers soaked in an extract of poplar sawdust that had been boiled for 25 minutes, followed by filter paper soaked in sawdust extract boiled for 20, 15, and 10 minutes respectively. Lower survival of termites was recorded on filter paper that was soaked in sawdust extract that had not been boiled. Maximum bait consumption also was found for filter paper soaked in poplar sawdust extract that had been boiled for 25 minutes; whereas lower consumption was found for sawdust extract that had not been boiled.
Zero displacement microelectromechanical force sensor using feedback control

Conventional microscale force sensors use moving parts to infer applied forces. Whenever physical deformations are involved, the sensor characteristics become a function of mechanical parameters, and there is an inevitable trade-off between the sensitivity and measurement range. We developed a microfabricated force sensor that uses feedback control to nullify any displacements within the device, directly transducing forces as high as 1.5 mN with a 7.8 nN resolution. The range and sensitivity of the device no longer depend on mechanical parameters, which allow the same device to be used to test samples with a wide range of stiffnesses without loss of accuracy.
Alterations of HDL Particles in Children with End-stage Renal Disease

Summary Background: Unfavorable lipid profile presents one of most important risk factor for cardiovascular disease in renal pathology. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) as enzyme which oxidizes lipoproteins and paraoxonase1 (PON1) as anti-oxidative enzyme have been involved in pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. In the present study we sought to assess oxidative stress status, lipoprotein subclasses distribution as well as functionality of high density lipoprotein (HDL) trough MPO/PON1 ratio in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and children after renal transplantation. Methods: PON1 activity and oxidative stress parameters were measured spectrophotometrically, while MPO concentration was determined using immunoassay. Separation of lipoprotein subclasses was performed by vertical gradient gel electrophoresis in 19 children with different stage of CKD and 19 post-transplantation patients (PT). Results: CKD patients had increased MPO/PON1 ratio and higher prevalence of smaller HDL subclasses when compared to PT subjects. Also, there was a significant positive correlation between MPO level and MPO/PON1 ratio with relative proportion of smaller HDL subclasses. Conclusion: Children with CKD have impaired HDL distribution that is improved after kidney transplantation. Since that measurement of HDL distribution and functionality are not routinely available, MPO/PON1 ratio may be useful marker that could provide necessary information.
Twitter Sentiment Analysis and Insight for Indonesian Mobile Operators

Tweeting is one of the most common human activities around the world nowadays. Twitter is the name of the website that provides micro blogging services. Most people are tweeting whatever they feel. In this direction, the growth of mobile operators are also increasing, and competing to satisfy the customers, and the users of mobile operators are expressing their feelings about the mobile operators. The sentiment analysis then appears to analyze the mobile operator images from the customer side. This can be done by predicting the tweets from the mobile operator users by its sentiment. The training sets of data required to determine the sentiment of the testing data, and the training set is classified manually. This research is to propose an automatic sentiment for Indonesian mobile operators, which gathers insight from the customer side and the tweets are in Indonesian language and about several Indonesian mobile operators. The tweets for the training set are gathered in one month intervals. The accuracy of predicting the sentiment achieves 80%. Copyright © 2013 Information Systems International Conference. All rights reserved.
People and wild felids: conservation of cats and management of conflicts

Wild felids and people have a complex and often paradoxical relationship. On the one hand, humankind admires and reveres felids; cats appear as cultural icons and symbols across the ages. In addition, there is a growing awareness of the value of wild felids as key components of ecosystems, tourist attractions generating income, umbrella species for conserving ecosystems, and flagships for engendering public support for conservation. These positive values sometimes contrast strongly with the relationship between wild felids and people in areas where they coexist. Human conflicts with wild cats, overexploitation of felid and prey populations, and habitat loss and fragmentation have extirpated felid populations and still threaten many more. The ways in which people value and interact with organisms and their habitats is at the heart of conservation. This chapter explores some of the interrelationships between people and wild felids, where human actions threaten felid populations.
Quantifying the contribution of inflow on surface ozone over California during summer 2008

Transported pollution has been recognized as making a potentially strong impact on air quality in the western U.S., but large uncertainties remain in quantifying its contribution. Assessing the role of pollution transport in relation to local emissions and meteorology is especially important in light of possibly lower ozone standards and projected increases in transpacific pollution transport. We apply the Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry model to analyze the role of upwind pollution (“inflow”) to surface ozone over California during the Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites campaign in June–July 2008 over California. Comparisons of the model to surface and aircraft observations, ozonesondes, and satellite retrievals show an overall good agreement; a low bias (~5 ppb) in free tropospheric ozone is attributed to low ozone at the boundaries and likely places our estimated inflow contribution on the lower side. Most other studies applied sensitivity analyses, while we use a synthetic ozone tracer, which provides a quantitative estimate of the budget. We estimate that on average 10 ± 9 ppb of surface afternoon ozone over California is attributed to ozone and ozone precursors entering the region from outside. This contribution features a significant spatial and temporal variability. While in most high ozone events, transported pollution plays a small role compared to local influences, for some instances, the impact can be substantial. Omitting data impacted by wildfires, we estimate the 90th percentile of the relative contribution of O3INFLOW to 8 h ozone >75 ppb as 10%. Our results also indicate that inflow might have a stronger impact on surface ozone in less polluted compared to polluted areas.
Technological Profile Inventory (TPI): Determining First Year University Students' Levels of Technological Literacy

In this article we describe first year university students’ levels of technological literacy. An instrument, the Technological Profile Inventory (TPI), found to be valid and reliable was used to determine these students’ levels of technological literacy. The instrument was based on a rigorous qualitative analysis of interview data which was in turn informed by categories that emerged from a phenomenographic analysis. Data were collected from 198 Engineering and 237 Commerce students and the items subjected to exploratory factor analysis. Profiles of students’ scores on the dimensions Artefact, Process, Direction, Instruction, Engaging and Tinkering were generated. On the whole an average student in the sample could be considered to have a reasonable level of technological literacy based on the dimensions in the TPI. In the category ‘Nature of Technology’ there were a significant number of students who conceive of technology as a product, a less sophisticated conception of technology. The higher levels of agreement in conceiving technology as a Process rather than an Artefact suggests that these students entered their first year university programme with at least a basic level of technological literacy, albeit a level higher than that of an artefact. The results suggest that students typically have a reasonable level of technological literacy when they arrive at university – which suggests that teachers are managing to fulfil the requirements in the NCS in addressing technology education.
The development of a nitrogen dioxide sonde

Abstract. A growing number of space-borne instruments measures nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations in the troposphere, but validation of these instruments is hampered by the lack of ground-based and in situ profile measurements. The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has developed a working NO2 sonde. The sonde is attached to a small meteorological balloon and measures a tropospheric NO2 profile. The NO2 sonde has a vertical resolution of 5 m and a measurement range between 1 and 100 ppbv. The instrument is light in weight (0.7 kg), cheap (disposable), energy efficient and not harmful to the environment or the person who finds the package after use. The sonde uses the chemiluminescent reaction of NO2 in an aqueous luminol solution. The NO2-luminol reaction produces faint blue/purple light (at about 425 nm), which is detected by an array of silicon photodiodes. The luminol solution is optimised to be specific to NO2. An on-ground comparison with measurements from a Photolytic Analyser of The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) shows that both instruments measure similar NO2 variations in ambient air. During the Cabauw Intercomparison campaign of Nitrogen Dioxide measuring instruments (CINDI) in June/July 2009, six vertical profiles of NO2 from the ground to a 5 km altitude were measured, which clearly show that the largest amount of NO2 is measured in the boundary layer. The measured boundary layer heights of the NO2 sonde are in good agreement with boundary layer heights determined by a LD40 Ceilometer at Cabauw.
Effect of Urethane Foam Cushioning on Structure-Borne Sound Transfer by a Slab with Panel Flooring

Urethane foam mattresses are commonly used as cushioning when placing panel flooring on the floor slab of a building. Urethane foam consists of elastic fibrefibres with pores. Both elements can affect the performance of the insulation against impact sounds. However, these effects have not yet been detailed, and they may change if the material properties or constitution of the fibres and pores in the cushioning change. In this paper, we propose an analytical model for use in evaluating the performance of insulation against floor impact sound. This model was used to examine the contribution of the pores versus the elastic fibres to wave transmissions from the flooring surface to the slab. The results reveal that the constitution of the foam (either open or closed cells of pores) and the thickness and hardness of the cushion layer strongly affect the sound insulation performance of the floor.
Mexico's Trade Flows in the NAFTA era: Evidence on the Marshall-Lerner condition from a VEC-GARCH approach

This paper evaluates the Marshall-Lerner condition in Mexico during the NAFTA era, using monthly data over 1994-2014. Our contribution is twofold. First, we model volatility in the net trade function by using a vector error-correction model with auto regressive conditional heteroskedasticity (VEC-GARCH). Second, we test the Marshall-Lerner condition explicitly and examine its robustness. The results show strong evidence on unit roots and cointegration as well as on multivariate GARCH effects in the net trade function. While we find a long run relationship in line with economic theory as well as non-negligible conditional volatility, we do not find convincing evidence on the Marshall-Lerner condition. Only the income elasticities turn out to be statistically significant. Accordingly, the study suggests that exchange rate depreciations related to the forthcoming normalization of monetary policy in the U.S. may not improve Mexico’s net export growth in the long run.