Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Associations of Dietary Diversity Score, Obesity, and High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein with HbA1c

Background : Associations of dietary diversity score (DDS), obesity and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with glucose metabolism have been reported. Furthermore, DDS may not be associated with healthy weight. However, studies on these topics are limited in general Indonesia population. Methods : A total of 3,825 Indonesia Family Life Survey 2014/2015 participants aged 20-59 years old were included in this study. DDS was measured qualitatively in five food groups: carbohydrates, proteins, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits. Obesity was defined by Body Mass Index (BMI) classification for Indonesians. Blood analyses were performed in dried blood spot specimens. hs-CRP were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and HbA1c was analyzed using Bio-Rad D10. Results : High DDS group had higher HbA1c than low DDS group ( p = 0.030). Furthermore, medium and high DDS group had higher BMI than low DDS group ( p = 0.003 and <0.001). Obese group had higher HbA1c than nonobese group (p < 0.001). hs-CRP was correlated with HbA1c (r=0.1194; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that DDS, obesity and hs-CRP were associated with HbA1c ( p = 0.030, p < 0.001 and <0.001). Conclusions : Present study confirmed that obesity and hs-CRP are associated with HbA1c. DDS is positively associated with HbA1c and BMI. Promoting dietary diversity requires careful consideration. Moreover, further studies are warranted .
Evaluation of a Smart-Restorable Backspace Technique to Facilitate Text Entry Error Correction

We present a new smart-restorable backspace technique to facilitate correction of "overlooked" errors on touchscreen-based tablets. We conducted an empirical study to compare the new backspace technique with the conventional one. Results of the study revealed that the new technique improves the overall text entry performance, both in terms of speed and operations per character, by significantly reducing error correction efforts. In addition, results showed that most users preferred the new technique to the one they use on their tablets, and found it easy to learn and use. Most of them also felt that it improved their overall text entry performance, thus wanted to keep using it.
Measurements and channel characterization for in-vehicle power line communications

This paper reports the results of a measurement campaign on a commercial sport utility vehicle for characterizing the S-parameters of a vehicular power line communication channel. Channel responses can vary from one vehicle type to another and even from vehicle to vehicle of the same type. Hence, there remains strong interest in performing S-parameter measurements on several vehicle types. In this paper we focus on an internal combustion engine (ICE) sport utility vehicle and measure S-parameters for two frequency bands: 30-1000kHz and 0.1-100MHz. Based on our results, we plan to design a modulation scheme and a complete VPLC system on the same vehicle.
Executive Team Information System and Financial Reporting Competencies, and Voluntary Adoption of XBRL Reporting

The issue of determinants of voluntary XBRL adoption has drawn considerable attention from the academic community around the world. In the U.S., the voluntary XBRL adoption process evolved under the SEC-administered XBRL Voluntary Filing Program (VFP). A number of papers have attempted to study firm-specific characteristics of VFP participants. Higher innovativeness and stronger corporate governance have been found to be significant factors associated with voluntary XBRL adoption in the U.S. However, these factors do not explain the managerial interest in participating in the VFP. We extend the literature on voluntary adoption of XBRL by focusing on the characteristics of the executive team to investigate whether they are associated with the voluntary adoption of XBRL technology. Specifically, we evaluate whether executive teams (CEO, CFO, and CIO) with higher financial or information system competencies were more likely to voluntarily adopt XBRL technology by electing to participate in the VFP. We also evaluate whether financial and information system competencies within the executive team affected the quality of the XBRL-tagged filings provided under the VFP. We conjecture that higher competency levels would reduce error rates. We find that higher levels of information systems competencies were positively associated with early adoption of XBRL but, surprisingly, we find that higher levels of financial expertise were negatively associated with early adoption of XBRL. We also find that for participants in the VFP the two areas of expertise are differentially associated with XBRL filing quality. Information systems competency is negatively associated with the excessive use of extension taxonomies, errors and warning in the instance document, and reporting lag, whereas financial expertise is negatively associated with taxonomy errors and warnings. These results can be used as a guide for investigating voluntary adoption of other financial reporting technologies, voluntary XBRL filings in other jurisdictions and other voluntary disclosures such as sustainability reporting and voluntary standardized business reporting in XBRL in jurisdictions where such reporting is not mandatory. They can also be used to investigate antecedents of quality in mandatory filing regimes.
Cats, maps and nanoflows: some recent developments in nonequilibrium nanofluidics

A review of some recent advances focusing on the problem of nano-scale fluids far from equilibrium modelled by nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) is presented. It will be demonstrated how novel materials such as dendrimers can be successfully modelled using NEMD methods and how the distortion of their geometry by the imposed field has a significant influence on the transport properties of such fluids. Furthermore, it will be shown how a famous chaotic mapping scheme—the Arnold cat map—can be usefully employed for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of an important industrial flow, namely elongational flow. This is the first connection ever made between the use of discrete dynamical chaotic maps and a practical application in MD simulations. It also highlights the problem that elongation is a highly unstable flow. Finally, a nonlocal constitutive model for the transport coefficients of nano-confined fluids (e.g., flows in nanoporous materials) is implemented. It is shown how such a model can be used to compute an effective shear viscosity for inhomogeneous fluids.
THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH ORAL COMMUNICATION IN THE APPLICATION OF CURRICULUM 2013

This study was meant to (1) understand the teachers’ and students’ perceptions, (2) describe the teachers and students difficulties, and (3) investigate the classroom management and interactions. The subjects, decided purposefully, were three English teachers and approximately 120 students. The data were gathered through classroom observation and in depth interview and analysed by using the interactive model of qualitative data analysis based on Miles and Huberman (1994). The research findings show that both teachers and students positively perceive the development of oral communication through Scientific Approach to teaching and its integrated skills lesson along with the language elements. The teachers find it difficult to develop English oral communication in two features, i.e. overcrowded classroom and students’ lack of active vocabulary. The students, on the other hand, find it hard to learn English oral communication in three characteristics, i.e. psychological-based problem, language use-based problem, and environmental-based problem. The classroom management and interaction support the students’ improvement in their speaking ability under communicative task and activity. The study recommended for further close inquiry into the functions of skill getting and skill using activity and their contributions to increase communicative language acquisition.
Towards an Integrated Multi-hazard Prevention Assessment for Community Threats

For several years, agencies and bodies around the world have been highlighting the increasing number and impact of disasters due to natural hazards and technological accidents. Unquestionably, these threats have raised levels of concern and challenged the sustainability of our communities at local, regional, national and international levels. In this paper, we describe these concerns and propose the development of a dynamic and integrated prevention policies approach on the basis of continuously updated and autonomously produced risk and vulnerability assessments and maps that will be presented in an interactive visualization tool. We conclude with some future steps in mind.
Information Security Awareness: Its Antecedents and Mediating Effects on Security Compliant Behavior

Abstract Information security awareness (ISA) is referred to as a state of consciousness and knowledge about security issues and is frequently found to impact security compliant behavior. However, to date we know little about the factors influencing ISA and its mediating effect on behavior. Our study addresses these gaps. We propose a research model that studies ISA’s institutional, individual, and environmental antecedents and investigates the mediating role of ISA. The model was empirically tested with survey data from 475 employees. The model explains a substantial proportion of the variance of ISA (.50) and intention to comply (.41). The results imply that the provision of security policies and employees’ knowledge on information systems are the most influential antecedents of ISA. The study shows that ISA mediates the relationship between ISA’s antecedents and behavioral intention. The findings will be useful for stakeholders interested in encouraging employees’ information security policy compliant behavior.
Potassium-dependent volume regulation in retinal pigment epithelium is mediated by Na,K,Cl cotransport

Changes in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell volume were measured by monitoring changes in intracellular tetramethylammonium (TMA) using double-barreled K-resin microelectrodes. Hyperosmotic addition of 25 or 50 mM mannitol to the Ringer of the apical bath resulted in a rapid (approximately 30 s) osmometric cell shrinkage. The initial cell shrinkage was followed by a much slower (minutes) secondary shrinkage that is probably due to loss of cell solute. When apical [K+] was elevated from 2 to 5 mM during or before a hyperosmotic pulse, the RPE cell regulated its volume by reswelling towards control within 3-10 min. This change in apical [K+] is very similar to the increase in subretinal [K+]o that occurs after a transition from light to dark in the intact vertebrate eye. The K-dependent regulatory volume increase (RVI) was inhibited by apical Na removal, Cl reduction, or the presence of bumetanide. These results strongly suggest that a Na(K),Cl cotransport mechanism at the apical membrane mediates RVI in the bullfrog RPE. A unique aspect of this cotransporter is that it also functions at a lower rate under steady-state conditions. The transport requirements for Na, K, and Cl, the inhibition of RVI by bumetanide, and thermodynamic calculations indicate that this mechanism transports Na, K, and Cl in the ratio of 1:1:2.
Algorithms for estimating information distance with application to bioinformatics and linguistics

We review unnormalized and normalized information distances based on incomputable notions of Kolmogorov complexity and discuss how Kolmogorov complexity can be approximated by data compression algorithms. We argue that optimal algorithms for data compression with side information can be successfully used to approximate the normalized distance. Next, we discuss an alternative information distance, which is based on relative entropy rate (also known as Kullback-Leibler divergence), and compression-based algorithms for its estimation. We conjecture that in bioinformatics and computational linguistics this alternative distance is more relevant and important than the ones based on Kolmogorov complexity.
SAR Target Recognition via Supervised Discriminative Dictionary Learning and Sparse Representation of the SAR-HOG Feature

Automatic target recognition (ATR) in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images plays an important role in both national defense and civil applications. Although many methods have been proposed, SAR ATR is still very challenging due to the complex application environment. Feature extraction and classification are key points in SAR ATR. In this paper, we first design a novel feature, which is a histogram of oriented gradients (HOG)-like feature for SAR ATR (called SAR-HOG). Then, we propose a supervised discriminative dictionary learning (SDDL) method to learn a discriminative dictionary for SAR ATR and propose a strategy to simplify the optimization problem. Finally, we propose a SAR ATR classifier based on SDDL and sparse representation (called SDDLSR), in which both the reconstruction error and the classification error are considered. Extensive experiments are performed on the MSTAR database under standard operating conditions and extended operating conditions. The experimental results show that SAR-HOG can reliably capture the structures of targets in SAR images, and SDDL can further capture subtle differences among the different classes. By virtue of the SAR-HOG feature and SDDLSR, the proposed method achieves the state-of-the-art performance on MSTAR database. Especially for the extended operating conditions (EOC) scenario “Training 17 ∘ —Testing 45 ∘ ”, the proposed method improves remarkably with respect to the previous works.
The Contribution of Star Formation and Merging to Stellar Mass Buildup in Galaxies

We present a formalism to reveal merging by subtracting the change in the galaxy stellar mass function (MF) due to mass-dependent star formation (SF) from the observed time derivative of the MF. We present the SF rate (SFR) in the FORS Deep Field as a function of stellar mass and time spanning 9 < log M* < 12 and 0 < z < 5. At z ≳ 3, the average SFR is a power law of stellar mass (Ṁ* ∝ M0.6*). The average SFR in massive objects at this redshift is 100-500 M☉ yr−1. At z ∼ 3, the SFR starts to drop at high masses. The break mass at which the SFR deviates from the power-law form decreases smoothly from log M1* ≳ 13 at z ∼ 5 to log M1* ∼ 10.9 at z ∼ 0.5, according to M1*(z) = 2.7 × 1010(1 + z)2.1 (downsizing). We directly observe a relationship between SF history and mass. More massive galaxies have steeper and earlier onsets of SF, higher peak SFR, followed by a shorter decay time. The SFR in high-mass galaxies at z ∼ 4 can explain their rapid increase in abundance. Within large uncertainties, at most 0.8 effective major mergers per Gyr are consistent with the data, yet enough to transform most high-mass objects into ellipticals contemporaneously with their major SF episode. In contrast, at z ∼ 1.5 and at M* ≳ 11, mergers contribute 0.1-0.2 Gyr−1 to the increase in number density. This corresponds to ~1 major merger per object a 1.5 > z > 0. At 10 < log M* < 11, galaxies are being preferentially destroyed at early times, while at later times the change in their numbers turns positive. This is an indication of the top-down buildup of the red sequence suggested by other recent observations.
Theoretical Models for Classical Cepheids. II. Period-Luminosity, Period-Color, and Period-Luminosity-Color Relations

We present and discuss theoretical predictions concerning the pulsational properties of classical Cepheids. Masses and luminosities provided by stellar evolutionary calculations are used as input parameters of nonlinear, nonlocal, and time-dependent convective pulsating models, and accurate determinations of both the blue and red edge of the instability strip are derived, together with theoretical light curves for a suitable grid of models. The computations have been performed for three different chemical compositions (Y=0.25, Z=0.004; Y=0.25, Z=0.008; Y=0.28, Z=0.02), taken as representative of Cepheids in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs) and in the Galaxy. Bolometric light curves have been transformed into visual and near-infrared magnitudes, and the intensity-weighted mean magnitudes of the pulsators over a full pulsation cycle (⟨MV⟩ and ⟨MK⟩, respectively) have been derived. We obtain that both in the log P-⟨MV⟩ and in the log P-⟨MK⟩ planes the predicted edges of instability strip are in excellent agreement with the observed distribution of Galactic and Magellanic Cepheids, providing a preliminary estimate of the distance to these galaxies. Moreover, we show that the models are in agreement with several empirical period-luminosity (PL) relations given in the literature, even though the theoretical distribution in the log P-⟨MV⟩ plane is better represented by a quadratic PL relation. We also show that both the zero point and the slope of the predicted PL relations are significantly dependent on metallicity, with the amplitude of the metallicity effect decreasing at the longer wavelength. At variance with several empirical suggestions appeared in the literature, we find that at fixed period the metal-rich pulsators should be fainter than the metal-poor ones. Tight period-luminosity-color (PLC) relations are derived for both visual and near-infrared photometric bands. Also in this case the effect of metallicity decreases with increased wavelength. By applying our theoretical relations to Magellanic Cepheids, we confirm that, within the statistical errors, the distance modulus obtained from different PL and PLC relations is marginally correlated with the adopted relation, but the associated uncertainty decreases when infrared magnitudes are taken into account. Finally the whole pulsational scenario is briefly discussed in light of the adopted evolutionary framework.
Assessment Model Implemented in Learning Gallery to Teach Cross Cultural Understanding for EFL Learners

In response to one of the demands for EFL learners to have cross cultural competence mainly on cultures of English speaking countries, this article describes assessment model implemented in Learning Gallery technique to teach Cross Cultural Understanding. Learning Gallery as one of the innovative ways of teaching content courses with an abundant coverage of materials proves to be able to help learners to be competent in some topics of cultures. This fact has been proved by implementing assessment model, namely Student-Self Test and Teacher-Made Test. The result of this study reveals that such an assessment model brings about improving the students’ cross cultural competence and leads them to be more independent learners. Moreover, through a reflective interview given at the end of the course, they claim that by developing their own test and doing their peer’s made test, they are experienced in test development in addition to be better prepared for the test. Accordingly, this study gives a meaningful insight for EFL lecturers teaching content courses to implement Learning Gallery technique with such an assessment model in order to help the EFL learners to be autonomously independent learners and competent in their own subjects learnt.
Applying Moral Foundations Theory to Identify Terrorist Group Motivations

Previous research distinguishing terrorist groups has employed categorical schemes that are (1) ideologically broad and ambiguous (e.g., right-wing versus left-wing) or (2) focused on single-issues (e.g., guns, abortion). Broad schemes often fail to clearly distinguish groups’ motivations, and single-issue schemes provide no coherent theoretical structure for understanding terrorist behavior. To address these limitations, we applied the conceptual framework of moral foundations theory (MFT) to derive a content-analytic scheme identifying universal instincts we term “moral motivations. ” We then applied this scheme to classify descriptions found in the Profiles of Perpetrators of Terrorism in the United States, an open-sourced dataset providing information on terrorist organizations that committed violence on U.S. soil. Analyses examined how terrorist-group activities are associated with specific moral motivations in order to distinguish dominant motives among different groups. Results showed that extremist right-wing, religious, and ethno-nationalist/separatist ideologies were associated with the binding motivations of loyalty, authority, and purity. Extremist left-wing and single-issue ideologies were associated with the individualizing motivations of care and fairness. These findings are discussed regarding the value of using MFT’s motivations to distinguish terrorist groups and how describing their moral motivations might advance efforts to curtail their activities.
Pulmonary arterial pressure during rest and exercise in healthy subjects: a systematic review

According to current guidelines, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is diagnosed when mean pulmonary arterial pressure (P̄pa) exceeds 25 mmHg at rest or 30 mmHg during exercise. Issues that remain unclear are the classification of P̄pa values <25mmHg and whether P̄pa >30 mmHg during exercise is always pathological. We performed a comprehensive literature review and analysed all accessible data obtained by right heart catheter studies from healthy individuals to determine normal P̄pa at rest and during exercise. Data on 1,187 individuals from 47 studies in 13 countries were included. Data were stratified for sex, age, geographical origin, body position and exercise level. P̄pa at rest was 14.0±3.3 mmHg and this value was independent of sex and ethnicity. Resting P̄pa was slightly influenced by posture (supine 14.0±3.3 mmHg, upright 13.6±3.1 mmHg) and age (<30 yrs: 12.8± 3.1mmHg; 30–50 yrs: 12.9±3.0 mmHg; ≥50 yrs: 14.7±4.0 mmHg). P̄pa during exercise was dependent on exercise level and age. During mild exercise, P̄pa was 19.4±4.8 mmHg in subjects aged <50 yrs compared with 29.4±8.4 mmHg in subjects ≥50 yrs (p<0.001). In conclusion, while P̄pa at rest is virtually independent of age and rarely exceeds 20 mmHg, exercise P̄pa is age-related and frequently exceeds 30 mmHg, especially in elderly individuals, which makes it difficult to define normal P̄pa values during exercise.
Scaling of swim speed and stroke frequency in geometrically similar penguins: they swim optimally to minimize cost of transport

It has been predicted that geometrically similar animals would swim at the same speed with stroke frequency scaling with mass−1/3. In the present study, morphological and behavioural data obtained from free-ranging penguins (seven species) were compared. Morphological measurements support the geometrical similarity. However, cruising speeds of 1.8–2.3 m s−1 were significantly related to mass0.08 and stroke frequencies were proportional to mass−0.29. These scaling relationships do not agree with the previous predictions for geometrically similar animals. We propose a theoretical model, considering metabolic cost, work against mechanical forces (drag and buoyancy), pitch angle and dive depth. This new model predicts that: (i) the optimal swim speed, which minimizes the energy cost of transport, is proportional to (basal metabolic rate/drag)1/3 independent of buoyancy, pitch angle and dive depth; (ii) the optimal speed is related to mass0.05; and (iii) stroke frequency is proportional to mass−0.28. The observed scaling relationships of penguins support these predictions, which suggest that breath-hold divers swam optimally to minimize the cost of transport, including mechanical and metabolic energy during dive.