Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The self-assessment of hospitality employment skills among vocational students in Malaysia / Nor Aziah Ahmad

Malaysia needs high skilled workforce to support growth of the industry. With dynamically changing job market and progressive technological change, employees are expected to keep abreast of global economics. In the process of achieving the status of developed nation by the year 2020, Malaysia needs to restructure its workforce to ensure that middle level workers are highly skilled. Current job environment demands multi-task and skills. Thus, university graduates must be prepared to meet the demand especially in the hospitality industry. The purpose of this study is to identify the hospitality employability skills consist of fifteen elements of employability skills among vocational students in Malaysia. The objective of this study is to identify the level of hospitality employability skills among vocational students. This study also analyzed whether there are significant differences in the competency level of vocational students by gender. The research also identifies the differences of hospitality employability skills by location (rural and urban), examines the determinants of hospitality employability skills among bakery and culinary students separately, identifies differences between perceived importance and competency gained in employability skills among bakery and culinary students and examines the skills that are needed by students for entering the hospitality profession. This research applied quantitative and qualitative methodology. The respondents consist of final year students in bakery and culinary programme. Stratified sampling was used to select students in hospitality programs from 22 vocational colleges in Malaysia. Questionnaires were distributed to eight hundred forty one students in five regions in Malaysia. Interview was also conducted with ten vocational students in central region, Malaysia. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as T- test and multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the quantitative data. The results showed that the level of hospitality employability skills among vocational students in Malaysia were at high level of competent and importance (93.2%). Findings also revealed that male students are more competent in hospitality employability skills compared to female students in vocational colleges. The result also provided evidence that rural students are more competent in hospitality employability skills compared to urban students in vocational colleges. The result found that the competence gained by bakery students in terms of employability skills is lower than the importance perceived by those students. The findings also showed that the competence gained by culinary students in terms of employability skills is lower than the importance perceived by those students.
8-bit 22nW SAR ADC using output offset cancellation technique

In this paper we present an offset cancellation technique for a comparator used in SAR (successive approximation register) analog to digital converter improving the signal to noise ratio of the whole system with minimum power consumption at the expense of complexity of the system. An 8-bit SAR ADC is presented with power consumption 22nW, ENOB = 7.051 and SNR = 47.11 dB. All simulations are done under clock frequency = 100 kHz and a supply voltage 1V.
Methodology for Estimating Bicyclist Acceleration and Speed Distributions at Intersections

As cities across North America install infrastructure to accommodate a growing number and variety of bicyclists, installation of bicycle-specific traffic signals is a common design element. A recent survey showed a lack of consistency in design and timing. In particular, minimum green signal timing is highly dependent on the assumed acceleration and speed performance of bicyclists, but no detailed methodology exists to estimate these performance values. Recently, AASHTO, the California Department of Transportation, and the National Association of City Transportation Officials issued documents that required the provision of an adequate clearance interval and recommended that, in the determination of this minimum interval field, an investigation of bicyclist speed be conducted. Even if detailed video trajectories are available, the determination of a value for field speed and acceleration is not trivial, because values of speeds and accelerations are a function of time and individual bicyclist performance. The purpose of the research reported here was to develop and apply a general methodology to estimate bicyclist acceleration and speed for traffic signal timing applications. With the use of physical equations of motion, this research analytically derived expressions that could be used to classify an individual bicyclist's performance as a function of the observed acceleration profile. The analysis indicated that four basic acceleration profiles were possible and that the profiles could be obtained with a parsimonious field data collection method. The methodology was applied successfully to two intersections in Portland, Oregon. A detailed statistical analysis showed that the results were intuitive and that the methodology successfully categorized bicyclist performance variations as a result of topography or demographic characteristics.
Resource-bounded Dimension in Computational Learning Theory

This paper focuses on the relation between computational learning theory and resource-bounded dimension. We intend to establish close connections between the learnability/nonlearnability of a concept class and its corresponding size in terms of effective dimension, which will allow the use of powerful dimension techniques in computational learning and viceversa, the import of learning results into complexity via dimension. Firstly, we obtain a tight result on the dimension of online mistake-bound learnable classes. Secondly, in relation with PAC learning, we show that the polynomial-space dimension of PAC learnable classes of concepts is zero. This provides a hypothesis on effective dimension that implies the inherent unpredictability of concept classes (the classes that verify this property are classes not efficiently PAC learnable using any hypothesis). Thirdly, in relation to space dimension of classes that are learnable by membership query algorithms, the main result proves that polynomial-space dimension of concept classes learnable by a membership-query algorithm is zero.
Investigation of free vibration and buckling of Timoshenko nano-beam based on a general form of eringen theory using conformable fractional derivative and Galerkin method

The purpose of this paper is to study the free vibration and buckling of a Timoshenko nano-beam using the general form of the Eringen theory generalized based on the fractional derivatives. In this paper, using the conformable fractional derivative (CFD) definition the generalized form of the Eringen nonlocal theory (ENT) is used to consider the effects of integer and noninteger stress gradients in the constitutive relation and also to consider small-scale effect in the vibration of a Timoshenko nano-beam. The governing equation is solved by the Galerkin method. Free vibration and buckling of a Timoshenko simply supported (S) nano-beam is investigated, and the influence of the fractional and nonlocal parameters is shown on the frequency ratio and buckling ratio. In this sense, the obtained formulation allows for an easier mapping of experimental results on nano-beams. The new theory (fractional parameter) makes the modeling more flexible. The model can conclude all of the integer and non-integer operators and is not limited to the special operators such as ENT. In other words, it allows to use more sophisticated/flexible mathematics to model physical phenomena.
Locality-Driven Dynamic GPU Cache Bypassing

This paper presents novel cache optimizations for massively parallel, throughput-oriented architectures like GPUs. L1 data caches (L1 D-caches) are critical resources for providing high-bandwidth and low-latency data accesses. However, the high number of simultaneous requests from single-instruction multiple-thread (SIMT) cores makes the limited capacity of L1 D-caches a performance and energy bottleneck, especially for memory-intensive applications. We observe that the memory access streams to L1 D-caches for many applications contain a significant amount of requests with low reuse, which greatly reduce the cache efficacy. Existing GPU cache management schemes are either based on conditional/reactive solutions or hit-rate based designs specifically developed for CPU last level caches, which can limit overall performance. To overcome these challenges, we propose an efficient locality monitoring mechanism to dynamically filter the access stream on cache insertion such that only the data with high reuse and short reuse distances are stored in the L1 D-cache. Specifically, we present a design that integrates locality filtering based on reuse characteristics of GPU workloads into the decoupled tag store of the existing L1 D-cache through simple and cost-effective hardware extensions. Results show that our proposed design can dramatically reduce cache contention and achieve up to 56.8% and an average of 30.3% performance improvement over the baseline architecture, for a range of highly-optimized cache-unfriendly applications with minor area overhead and better energy efficiency. Our design also significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art CPU and GPU bypassing schemes (especially for irregular applications), without generating extra L2 and DRAM level contention.
Synthesis of Unequally Spaced Antenna Arrays by Using Inheritance Learning Particle Swarm Optimization

In this paper, synthesis of unequally spaced linear antenna arrays based on an inheritance learning particle swarm optimization (ILPSO) is presented. In order to improve the optimization e-ciency of the PSO algorithm, we propose an inheritance learning strategy that can be applied to difierent topology of difierent PSO algorithms. In ILPSO algorithm, each cycle contains several PSO optimization processes, and uniform initial particle positions, part of which inherited from the good results in pre-cycles, are adopted in post-cycles. ILPSO enhances the exploration ability of PSO algorithm signiflcantly, and can escape from the trap of local optimum areas with greater probability. The results demonstrate good performance of the ILPSO in solving a set of eight 30-D benchmark functions when compared to nine other variants of the PSO. The novel proposed algorithm has been applied in 32-element position-only array synthesis with three difierent constraints, simulation results show that ILPSO obtains better synthesis results reliably and e-ciently.
A Design Approach for Collaboration Processes: A Multimethod Design Science Study in Collaboration Engineering

Collaboration engineering is an approach for the design and deployment of repeatable collaboration processes that can be executed by practitioners without the support of collaboration professionals such as facilitators. A critical challenge in collaboration engineering concerns how the design activities have to be executed and which design choices have to be made to create a process design. We report on a four-year design science study in which we developed a design approach for collaboration engineering that incorporates existing process design methods, pattern-based design principles, and insights from expert facilitators regarding design challenges and choices. The resulting approach was evaluated and continuously improved in four trials with 37 students. Our findings suggest that this approach is useful to support the design of repeatable collaboration processes. Our study further serves as an example of how a design approach can be developed and improved following a multimethod design science approach.
Genomic Prediction of Northern Corn Leaf Blight Resistance in Maize with Combined or Separated Training Sets for Heterotic Groups

Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB), a severe fungal disease causing yield losses worldwide, is most effectively controlled by resistant varieties. Genomic prediction could greatly aid resistance breeding efforts. However, the development of accurate prediction models requires large training sets of genotyped and phenotyped individuals. Maize hybrid breeding is based on distinct heterotic groups that maximize heterosis (the dent and flint groups in Central Europe). The resulting allocation of resources to parallel breeding programs challenges the establishment of sufficiently sized training sets within groups. Therefore, using training sets combining both heterotic groups might be a possibility of increasing training set sizes and thereby prediction accuracies. The objectives of our study were to assess the prospect of genomic prediction of NCLB resistance in maize and the benefit of a training set that combines two heterotic groups. Our data comprised 100 dent and 97 flint lines, phenotyped for NCLB resistance per se and genotyped with high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism marker data. A genomic BLUP model was used to predict genotypic values. Prediction accuracies reached a maximum of 0.706 (dent) and 0.690 (flint), and there was a strong positive response to increases in training set size. The use of combined training sets led to significantly greater prediction accuracies for both heterotic groups. Our results encourage the application of genomic prediction in NCLB-resistance breeding programs and the use of combined training sets.
Tensile Properties of Si Nanowires with Faulted Stacking Layers

Semiconductor nanowires (NWs) show tremendous applications in micro/nano-electro-mechanical systems. In order to fulfill their promising applications, an understanding of the mechanical properties of NWs becomes increasingly important. Based on the large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, this work investigated the tensile properties of Si NWs with different faulted stacking layers. Different faulted stacking layers were introduced around the centre of the NW by the insertion or removal of certain stacking layers, inducing twins, intrinsic stacking fault, extrinsic stacking fault, and 9R crystal structure. Stress–strain curves obtained from the tensile deformation tests reveal that the presence of faulted stacking layers has induced a considerable decrease to the yield strength while only a minor decrease to Young's modulus. The brittle fracture phenomenon is observed for all tested NWs. In particular, the formation of a monatomic chain is observed for the perfect NW, which exists for a relatively wide strain range. For the defected NW, the monatomic chain appears and lasts shorter. Additionally, all defected NWs show a fracture area near the two ends, in contrast to the perfect NW whose fracture area is adjacent to the middle. This study provides a better understanding of the mechanical properties of Si NWs with the presence of different faulted stacking layers.
Second to fourth digit ratio and face shape

The average human male face differs from the average female face in size and shape of the jaws, cheek-bones, lips, eyes and nose. It is possible that this dimorphism is determined by sex steroids such as testosterone (T) and oestrogen (E), and several studies on the perception of such characteristics have been based on this assumption, but those studies focussed mainly on the relationship of male faces with circulating hormone levels; the corresponding biology of the female face remains mainly speculative. This paper is concerned with the relative importance of prenatal T and E levels (assessed via the 2D : 4D finger length ratio, a proxy for the ratio of T/E) and sex in the determination of facial form as characterized by 64 landmark points on facial photographs of 106 Austrians of college age. We found that (i) prenatal sex steroid ratios (in terms of 2D : 4D) and actual chromosomal sex dimorphism operate differently on faces, (ii) 2D : 4D affects male and female face shape by similar patterns, but (iii) is three times more intense in men than in women. There was no evidence that these effects were confounded by allometry or facial asymmetry. Our results suggest that studies on the perception of facial characteristics need to consider differential effects of prenatal hormone exposure and actual chromosomal gender in order to understand how characteristics have come to be rated ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ and the consequences of these perceptions in terms of mate preferences.
Long-term vitamin C supplementation has no markedly favourable effect on serum lipids in middle-aged Japanese subjects

Antioxidant vitamins have been reported to be associated with an improvement in blood lipid profiles, but results are not consistent. The present study was designed to determine whether long-term vitamin C supplementation could alter serum lipid concentrations in subjects who completed a 5-year population-based double-blind intervention trial. A total of 439 Japanese subjects with atrophic gastritis initially participated in the trial using vitamin C and β-carotene to prevent gastric cancer. Before and upon early termination of β-carotene supplementation, 134 subjects dropped out of the trial; finally, 161 subjects assigned to the high-dose group (500 mg vitamin C/d) and 144 subjects assigned to the low-dose group (50 mg vitamin C/d) were studied. No favourable effect of vitamin C supplementation on serum concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, and triacylglycerol was observed, although high-dose vitamin C supplementation increased serum vitamin C concentrations substantially. Among women, the mean change in serum triacylglycerol decreased (−0·12 mmol/l, 95 % CI −0·32, 0·09) in the high-dose group, but increased (+0·12 mmol/l, 95 % CI 0·03, 0·22) in the low-dose group. In addition, the mean change in serum triacylglycerol among women with hypertriacylglycerolaemia was statistically significant (−1·21, 95 % CI −2·38, −0·05) after high-dose vitamin C supplementation. The 5-year vitamin C supplementation had no markedly favourable effects on the serum lipid and lipoprotein profile. However, our present results do not preclude the possibility that vitamin C supplementation may decrease triacylglycerol concentrations among women with hypertriacylglycerolaemia.
From One to Many: Planning for Loosely Coupled Multi-Agent Systems

Loosely coupled multi-agent systems are perceived as easier to plan for because they require less coordination between agent sub-plans. In this paper we set out to formalize this intuition. We establish an upper bound on the complexity of multi-agent planning problems that depends exponentially on two parameters quantifying the level of agents' coupling, and on these parameters only. The first parameter is problem-independent, and it measures the inherent level of coupling within the system. The second is problem-specific and it has to do with the minmax number of action-commitments per agent required to solve the problem. Most importantly, the direct dependence on the number of agents, on the overall size of the problem, and on the length of the agents' plans, is only polynomial. This result is obtained using a new algorithmic methodology which we call "planning as CSP+planning". We believe this to be one of the first formal results to both quantify the notion of agents' coupling, and to demonstrate a multi-agent planning algorithm that, for fixed coupling levels, scales polynomially with the size of the problem.
Sliding mode control of fixed-wing UAVs in windy environments

In this paper, a fully nonlinear aircraft dynamic model in the presence of wind is introduced. Assuming the wind vortex hypothesis, the equations of motion are formulated in a novel nonlinear control system form that is affine in control input for the chosen aircraft model. A sliding mode controller is subsequently developed where the position of the throttle is used to control the air velocity and the aileron, elevator, and rudder deflections are employed to control the rest of the dynamics. It is shown that the full state converges to the desired values even in the presence of the uncertainties imposed by the wind. The applicability of the controller design is illustrated through simulations in the presence of uncertainties.
A new efficient real-time arbitrary colored ball recognition method for a humanoid soccer robot

The ball recognition algorithm in Robocup is challenging with regard to the computing complexity and false positive rate. This paper proposes a new method to deal with the real-time arbitrary colored ball recognition for a humanoid soccer robot. At the beginning, the image is matched with a look-up table under the HSV color space. After we get the edge pixels information, the ball is recognized by the contour feature method (CF) or the modified Gradient Circle Hough Transform method (GCHT) based on different contour conditions. The CF approach proved to be fast and effective in non-intersection condition. While the modified GCHT as a complement is more reliable under intersection condition. The novelty of this ball recognition method is the combination of the CF and modified GCHT method and taking advantages from each of them. In addition, the new ball recognition method focuses on the arbitrary colored ball recognition rather than the single uniform colored ball detection. Besides, the variance of illumination, the shadows and occlusion have also been considered. A great number of experiments have been carried out showing that the proposed new method achieves a balanced point with the consideration of timeliness and efficiency.
The Degree of Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Correlates with the Presence and Severity of Coronary Heart Disease

Both diabetic retinopathy (DR) and coronary heart disease (CHD) are clinically significant in diabetic patients. We investigated the correlation between the severity of DR and the presence and severity of CHD among type 2 diabetic patients. A total of 175 patients who were examined at the DR clinic and underwent dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) angiography within 6 months were included. The degree of DR was graded as no DR, nonproliferative DR (NPDR), and proliferative DR (PDR). The severity of CHD and the numbers of significant stenotic coronary artery on DSCT angiography according to DR grade were assessed. The mean Agatston Calcium Score (ACS) in patients with PDR was significantly higher than other groups (P < 0.001). The overall odds of an ACS increase were about 4.7-fold higher in PDR group than in no DR group (P < 0.001). In PDR group, in comparison with in no DR, the odds of having 1 or 2 arterial involvement were 3-fold higher (P = 0.044), and those of having 3 were 17-fold higher (P = 0.011). The c-index, one of the predictability values in regression analysis model, was not significantly increased when PDR was added to classical CHD risk factors (0.671 to 0.706, P = 0.111). Conclusively, patients with PDR develop a greater likelihood of not only having CHD, but being more severe nature. PDR has no additional effect to classical CHD risk factors for predicting CHD.
The Impact of Ambiguity Prudence on Insurance and Prevention

Most decisions concerning (self-)insurance and self-protection have to be taken in situations in which a) the effort exerted precedes the moment uncertainty realises, and b) the probabilities of future states of the world are not perfectly known. By integrating these two characteristics in a simple theoretical framework, this paper derives plausible conditions under which ambiguity aversion raises the demand for (self-)insurance and self-protection. In particular, it is shown that in most usual situations where the level of ambiguity does not increase with the level of effort, a simple condition of ambiguity prudence known as decreasing absolute ambiguity aversion (DAAA) is sufficient to give a clear and positive answer to the question: Does ambiguity aversion raise the optimal level of effort?