Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Weighted-Norm First-Order System Least Squares (FOSLS) for Problems with Corner Singularities

A weighted-norm least-squares method is considered for the numerical approximation of solutions that have singularities at the boundary. While many methods suffer from a global loss of accuracy due to boundary singularities, the least-squares method can be particularly sensitive to a loss of regularity. The method we describe here requires only a rough lower bound on the power of the singularity and can be applied to a wide range of elliptic equations. Optimal order discretization accuracy is achieved in weighted $H^1$, and functional norms and $L^2$ accuracy are retained for boundary value problems with a dominant div/curl operator. Our analysis, including interpolation bounds and several Poincare´-type inequalities, are carried out in appropriately weighted Sobolev spaces. Numerical results confirm the error bounds predicted in the analysis.
Big fish in big ponds: A multilevel analysis of test anxiety and achievement in special gifted classes

Abstract This study analyzes the effects of individual achievement and achievement level of student reference group on test anxiety in a national sample of 769 gifted Israeli students (grade levels 4–9), which was previously investigated by Zeidner and Schleyer (1999a). We hypothesized that when controlling for individual achievement, students’ experiences of test anxiety should increase with the increasing ability level of their peer reference group. It was assumed that this effect was largely mediated by reference group effects on academic self-concept (big-fish-little-pond effect). Zeidner and Schleyer found that gifted students within a gifted peer reference group showed higher levels of test anxiety than gifted students within a non-gifted peer reference group. Of note, the present study focused exclusively on gifted students attending special gifted classes. The main research question was whether or not the assumed effects of individual and class achievement can be found for gifted students in special gifted classes when taking the variance of achievement level (grades) of the special gifted classes into account. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) methodology, the assumed effects were vindicated for this special group of high ability students. Thus, in line with previous results, the Worry component of test anxiety was more highly reactive to the effects of individual achievement than the Emotionality component. Also, in line with our theoretical assumptions, achievement/anxiety relations were largely mediated by the effects of academic self-concept.
From competition to cooperation: Co-evolution in a rewards continuum

In this study the hypothesis that zero-sum (i.e strictly competitive) games are more difficult targets for co-evolution than non-zero-sum (i.e. games that are not strictly competitive nor strictly cooperative) games is examined. Our method is to compare the co-evolutionary behavior of a three move zero-sum game (rock paper scissors) with that of a three move non-zero-sum game (coordination prisoner's dilemma) as well as with intermediate games obtained using weighted averages of the games's payoff matrices. The games are compared by examining the way use of moves evolves, by using transitivity measures on evolved agents, by estimating the complexity of the agents and by checking for non-local adaptation. Two different agent representations, finite state machines with 8 and 64 states, are used. Unexpectedly, these two representations are found to have large, qualitative differences. The results support the hypothesis that co-evolving good strategies for zero-sum games is more difficult than for non-zero-sum games. Many of the measurements used to compare different games are found to exhibit a nonlinear responses to the change in payoff matrix.
Tracking the environment in Australian children’s literature: the Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Awards 1955-2014

Abstract Popular and accessible before television and the internet, picture books capture the context of the time they were created and influence the generations of children who consume them. Depictions of the natural world have changed across several generations of picture books as seen in illustrations of all 249 books of an influential collection, the Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Awards shortlists from 1955 to 2014. This study found that natural environments became proportionally less present in picture books over time while depictions of built environments increased. The presence of wild animals and native Australian animals also decreased over time. Sustainability themes and more realistic depictions of wild animals and biodiversity increased over time which reflects a growing ecological or environmental awareness, and diversification of environmental themes in recent picture books of this prominent Collection.
Faranoff-Riley type I jet deceleration at density discontinuities - Relativistic hydrodynamics with a realistic equation of state

Aims. We propose a model that could explain the sudden jet deceleration in active galactic nuclei, thereby invoking density discontinuities. Motivated particularly by recent indications from HYbrid MOrphology Radio Sources (HYMORS) that Fanaroff-Riley classification is induced in some cases by variations in the density of the external medium. We explore how one-sided jet deceleration and a transition to FR I type can occur in HYMORS, which start as FR II (and remain so on the other side). Methods. We implemented the Synge-type equation of state introduced in the general polytropic case by Meliani et al. (2004, A&A, 425, 773) into the relativistic hydrodynamic grid-adaptive AMRVAC code. To demonstrate its accuracy, we set up various test problems in an appendix, which we compare to exact solutions that we calculate as well. We use the code to analyse the deceleration of jets in FR II/FR I radio galaxies, following them at high resolution across several hundred jet beam radii. Results. We present results for 10 model computations that vary the inlet Lorentz factor from 10 to 20, include uniform or decreasing density profiles, and allow for cylindrical versus conical jet models. As long as the jet propagates through uniform media, we find that the density contrast sets most of the propagation characteristics, fully consistent with previous modelling efforts. When the jet runs into a denser medium, we find a clear distinction in the decelaration of high-energy jets depending on the encountered density jump. For fairly high-density contrast, the jet becomes destabilised and compressed, decelerates strongly (up to subrelativistic speeds), and can form knots. If the density contrast is too weak, the high-energy jets continue with FR II characteristics. The trend is similar for the low-energy jet models, which start as underdense jets from the outset, and decelerate by entrainment into the lower region as well. We point out differences that are found between cylindrical and conical jet models, together with dynamical details like the Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities developing at the original contact interface.
Contrast gain, signal-to-noise ratio, and linearity in light-adapted blowfly photoreceptors

Response properties of short-type (R1-6) photoreceptors of the blowfly (Calliphora vicina) were investigated with intracellular recordings using repeated sequences of pseudorandomly modulated light contrast stimuli at adapting backgrounds covering 5 log intensity units. The resulting voltage responses were used to determine the effects of adaptational regulation on signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), signal induced noise, contrast gain, linearity and the dead time in phototransduction. In light adaptation the SNR of the photoreceptors improved more than 100-fold due to (a) increased photoreceptor voltage responses to a contrast stimulus and (b) reduction of voltage noise at high intensity backgrounds. In the frequency domain the SNR was attenuated in low frequencies with an increase in the middle and high frequency ranges. A pseudorandom contrast stimulus by itself did not produce any additional noise. The contrast gain of the photoreceptor frequency responses increased with mean illumination and the gain was best fitted with a model consisting of two second order and one double pole of first order. The coherence function (a normalized measure of linearity and SNR) of the frequency responses demonstrated that the photoreceptors responded linearly (from 1 to 150 Hz) to the contrast stimuli even under fairly dim conditions. The theoretically derived and the recorded phase functions were used to calculate phototransduction dead time, which decreased in light adaptation from approximately 5-2.5 ms. This analysis suggests that the ability of fly photoreceptors to maintain linear performance under dynamic stimulation conditions results from the high early gain followed by delayed compressive feed-back mechanisms.
The Demand Rate of Facilitation Functions

Facilitation is a key success factor for effective GSS applications. Developing technological support for the facilitator is a very promising direction in creating more successful (distributed) GSS use. The choice for which facilitation function to support with what kind of technologies can be based on different criteria. In this paper we focus on identifying facilitation functions that are perceived as demanding by facilitators. In literature, we identified several lists of functions a facilitator should perform when facilitating a meeting. We, however, could not find a rank order in literature with regard to the demand rate of a facilitation function. We developed a questionnaire in which we ask facilitators to indicate the demand rate of facilitation functions in different group settings. In total, at this moment, thirteen facilitators filled in the questionnaire. Some first insights in the demand rate of facilitation functions are given.
Sparse estimation of large covariance matrices via a nested Lasso penalty

The paper proposes a new covariance estimator for large covariance matrices when the variables have a natural ordering. Using the Cholesky decomposition of the inverse, we impose a banded structure on the Cholesky factor, and select the bandwidth adaptively for each row of the Cholesky factor, using a novel penalty we call nested Lasso. This structure has more flexibility than regular banding, but, unlike regular Lasso applied to the entries of the Cholesky factor, results in a sparse estimator for the inverse of the covariance matrix. An iterative algorithm for solving the optimization problem is developed. The estimator is compared to a number of other covariance estimators and is shown to do best, both in simulations and on a real data example. Simulations show that the margin by which the estimator outperforms its competitors tends to increase with dimension.
Physicians’ interpersonal relationships and professional standing seen through the eyes of the general public in Croatia

Purpose Medical professionalism, as a cornerstone of medicine’s social contract with society, demands physicians adhere to high professional standards while placing public interest ahead of self-interest. This study’s objective was to investigate perceptions of the basic elements of medical professionalism related to physicians’ interpersonal relationships and their professional standing in the view of the broader public. Methods A field survey was conducted using an independently created questionnaire on a nationally representative three-stage probabilistic sample of 1,008 Croatian citizens. By including weights, the sample became nationally representative in terms of sex, age, education, and regional representation. The survey was carried out from April 17 to May 13, 2012. Results The Croatian public recognizes the importance of collaboration among physicians, but their everyday experiences tell a different story, in which almost half of the respondents evaluated physicians’ collaboration as being mediocre, poor, or nonexistent. The perception of physicians’ priorities and their primary interests, where every sixth respondent believes physicians always or almost always puts their own interest in front of that of the patients, as well as the perception of their inadequate adherence to professional standards, is indicative of a disillusioned stance of the public toward the medical profession in Croatia. Conclusion This research offered insight into findings that can have a profound and long-lasting effect on a health care delivery process if they are not further analyzed and rectified.
The host galaxies of luminous radio-quiet quasars

The results from a deep K-band imaging study, Which reveals the host galaxies around a sample of luminous radio-quiet quasars, are shown to be important for models of the quasar population. The K-band images, obtained at UKIRT, were of sufficient quality to allow accurate 2D modelling of the underlying host galaxy. The derived average K-band absolute K-corrected host galaxy magnitude for these luminous radio-quiet quasars is (M K ) = —25.15±0.04, comparable to luminosities derived from samples of quasars of lower total luminosity. Nuclear-tohost ratios therefore break the lower limit previously suggested from studies of lower nuclear luminosity quasars and Seyfert galaxies. We show how simple theoretical models of quasar activity predict such a limit, and suggest how this picture must be changed in light of our results.
Developing a Model

This chapter illustrates how a simulation model is developed for a business process. Speci± cally, we develop and investigate a model for a simple production-distribution system. Such systems are at the heart of most companies that make and sell products, and similar systems exist in most service-oriented businesses. Regardless of where you work within most companies, it is useful to understand the sometimes counterintuitive behavior that is possible in a production-distribution system. As we will see, di° culties in a production-distribution system that are often attributed to external events can be caused by the internal structure of the system. The purpose of this example is to familiarize you with what is required to build a simulation model, and how such a model can be used. Some of the details presented below may not be totally clear at this point. In later chapters, we will investigate in further detail a number of topics that help clarify these details and assist you in building your own models. A basic stock and ®ow diagram for the system we will consider is shown in Figure 5.1 1. There are two ®ow processes: The production process shown at the top of the ± gure with a ®ow to the right, and the distribution system shown at the bottom of the ± gure with a ®ow to the left. The production system is a ®ow of orders, while the distribution system is a ®ow of materials. The two processes are tied together by factory production, as shown at the right side of the ± gure. As items are produced, the orders for these items are removed from the Factory Order Backlog, and the items are placed into Retail Inventory. Note the use of the small \clouds" which are shown at the right and left ends of the production and distribution processes. These clouds represent either a source or a sink of ®ow which is outside the process that we are considering. For example, the cloud in the upper right corner of the ± gure shows that we are not considering in our analysis what happens to orders once they have initiated factory production. (In an actual system, the orders probably continue to ®ow into a billing process. That is outside the bounds of what we are interested in 1 The models in this chapter are adapted from Jarmain (1963), pp. 118{124.
Long-term Observation of Regenerated Periodontium Induced by FGF-2 in the Beagle Dog 2-Wall Periodontal Defect Model

The long-term stability and qualitative characteristics of periodontium regenerated by FGF-2 treatment were compared with normal physiological healing tissue controls in a Beagle dog 2-wall periodontal defect model 13 months after treatment by assessing tissue histology and three-dimensional microstructure using micro-computed tomography (μCT). After FGF-2 (0.3%) or vehicle treatment at the defect sites, serial changes in the bone mineral content (BMC) were observed using periodic X-ray imaging. Tissues were harvested at 13 months, evaluated histomorphometrically, and the cortical bone volume and trabecular bone structure of the newly formed bone were analyzed using μCT. FGF-2 significantly increased the BMC of the defect area at 2 months compared with that of the control group, and this difference was unchanged through 13 months. The cortical bone volume was significantly increased by FGF-2, but there was no difference between the groups in trabecular bone structure. Bone maturation was occurring in both groups because of the lower cortical volume and denser trabecular bone than what is found in intact bone. FGF-2 also increased the area of newly formed bone as assessed histomorphometrically, but the ratios of trabecular bone in the defect area were similar between the control and FGF-2 groups. These results suggest that FGF-2 stimulates neogenesis of alveolar bone that is of similar quality to that of the control group. The lengths of the regenerated periodontal ligament and cementum, measured as the distance from the defect bottom to the apical end of the gingival epithelium, and height and area of the newly formed bone in the FGF-2 group were larger than those in the control group. The present study demonstrated that, within the limitation of artificial periodontal defect model, the periodontal tissue regenerated by FGF-2 was maintained for 13 months after treatment and was qualitatively equivalent to that generated through the physiological healing process.
CCTV surveillance in primary schools: normalisation, resistance, and children’s privacy consciousness

Abstract This study explored how primary school children perceive school surveillance by Closed Circuit TV systems (CCTVs) and how their perceptions relate to their privacy consciousness. It drew on interviews with 57 children, aged 9–12, who were enrolled in three Israeli public schools that had installed CCTVs, and on information gathered from members of the management team of each school. The findings indicated that in all three schools, educators did not discuss the CCTVs with the children. Consequently, most children had various erroneous assumptions regarding the CCTVs, leading some children to wrongly believe that they were seen and heard in almost every corner of the school, including toilets and classrooms. The findings also revealed a tension between normalisation of school surveillance on the one hand, and resistance to excessive surveillance on the other. In addition, the findings demonstrated that even young children, having been born and raised in a digital world with its ubiquitous surveillance, value their privacy and are willing to relinquish it only when they perceive it as justified. The moral balance voiced by the children regarding the circumstances that justify trading privacy for security resembles constitutional analysis.
The relationship between self-efficacy and ways of coping of first-year university students

This is a quantitative, exploratory study focusing on self-efficacy and ways of coping of male and female first-year psychology students at a university in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. The study aimed to explore and describe the relationship between The General Perceived SelfEfficacy Scale and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire of first-year university psychology students. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was employed. The sample consisted of 34 males and 94 females between the ages of 18 and 21 years, who were registered for a first-year psychology module. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The results showed moderate correlations between general perceived self-efficacy and problem-focused and focusing on the positive as ways of coping. In addition, the results showed significant relationships between general perceived self-efficacy and problem-focused coping, seeking social support and focusing on the positive as ways of coping. Gender differences with regards to the constructs of coping and self-efficacy were also explored. Limitations of the present research were noted and recommendations for future research were proposed.
Assessing assumptions of a combined structure-function index

Medeiros et al. developed a combined structure‐function index for glaucoma by combining two ganglion cell models developed by Harwerth et al. The current study assessed assumptions of the Medeiros combined structure‐function index by evaluating whether the two Harwerth models gave similar distributions of ganglion cells in an independent dataset.
Object segmentation with deep regression

Object segmentation has constantly received much attention due to its fundamental role in scene understanding. Traditional methods formulate it as a structured prediction problem, represented by graphical models (GMs). However, most GMs have difficulties in balancing the effectiveness of context modeling and efficiency of model inference. In this paper, we model the contexts implicitly using the deep convolutional neural network (DCNN). Specifically, we reformulate object segmentation as a regression problem and train a deep network end-to-end to learn the nonlinear mapping from the image to the object mask. The large receptive field of the network incorporates wide contexts to update the network parameters, giving an implicit context model. Moreover, the deep architecture is favorable for modeling nonlinearity. The inference of our method is quite efficient, involving only a simple feed-forward pass. Extensive experiments on public datasets demonstrate the advantages of our method.
Financial Sector FDI and Host Countries: New and Old Lessons

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the financial sectors of emerging economies soared during the 1990s, leaving many countries with banking sectors owned primarily by foreign institutions. While the implications of FDI into emerging markets are well documented, less clearly understood is how the host countries are affected by financial sector FDI specifically. An understanding of this relationship is crucial for countries formulating policy with respect to foreign banks. This article argues that many lessons learned from work on FDI into manufacturing and primary resource industries apply directly to host-country financial sectors. The author provides evidence on such themes as technology transfers, productivity spillovers, wage effects, macroeconomic growth, and fiscal policy to show that financial sector FDI into emerging markets generally has positive effects on the host countries. In banking and finance specifically, she argues that financial sector FDI can potentially strengthen institutional development through improvements to regulation and supervision.