Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Calibrated complex impedance and permittivity measurements with scanning microwave microscopy

We present a procedure for calibrated complex impedance measurements and dielectric quantification with scanning microwave microscopy. The calibration procedure works in situ directly on the substrate with the specimen of interest and does not require any specific calibration sample. In the workflow tip–sample approach curves are used to extract calibrated complex impedance values and to convert measured S11 reflection signals into sample capacitance and resistance images. The dielectric constant of thin dielectric SiO2 films were determined from the capacitance images and approach curves using appropriate electrical tip–sample models and the εr value extracted at f = 19.81 GHz is in good agreement with the nominal value of εr ∼ 4. The capacitive and resistive material properties of a doped Si semiconductor sample were studied at different doping densities and tip–sample bias voltages. Following a simple serial model the capacitance–voltage spectroscopy curves are clearly related to the semiconductor depletion zone while the resistivity is rising with falling dopant density from 20 Ω to 20 kΩ. The proposed procedure of calibrated complex impedance measurements is simple and fast and the accuracy of the results is not affected by varying stray capacitances. It works for nanoscale samples on either fully dielectric or highly conductive substrates at frequencies between 1 and 20 GHz.
On Provenance of Queries on Semantic Web Data

Capturing trustworthiness, reputation, and reliability of Semantic Web data manipulated by SPARQL requires researchers to represent adequate provenance information, usually modeled as source data annotations and propagated to query results along with a query evaluation. Alternatively, abstract provenance models can capture the relationship between query results and source data by taking into account the employed query operators. The authors argue the benefits of the latter for settings in which query results are materialized in several repositories and analyzed by multiple users. They also investigate how relational provenance models can be leveraged for SPARQL queries, and advocate for new provenance models.
Modernization and Political Instability: Coups d'Etat in Africa 1955-85

This article studies African coups d'etat during the period from 1955 to 1985. It applies quantitative methods to the study of African history, and examines whether coups d'etat can be explained by structural factors. The starting point is a replication of Jackman's ( 1978) seminal study of political instability m Africa The purpose of this replication is to establish whether Jackman's findings hold when continuous-time hazard models of event history data are used instead of the panel regression approach utilized by Jackman The event history approach is more appropriate, since it focuses on the rate of coup d'etat over time rather than some index of coup d'etat. Substantively the article has three separate aims The first is to consider the effect of modernization on political $instability. The second is to study the influence of social contagion and the history of political instability on the Afncan continent on the likelihood that a coup d'etat will occur in a given country The third is to study how the likelihood of a coup depends on time. The results lend some support to modernization theory, but also lead to some minor reformulations of the model adopted from previous research The social contagion hypothesis and the density hypothesis formulated in this article are also supported Finally, the results indicate that the likelihood of a coup strongly depends on time This result in particular points to the necessity of studying coups d'etat by means of event history analysis in future research.
COMPARATIVE EVIDENCE OF INEQUALITY IN CULTURAL PREFERENCES GENDER, CLASS, AND FAMILY STATUS

ABSTRACT In a recent work, Erik Olin Wright proposed using the word clender to designate the interaction term between class and gender, emphasizing that class and gender interact in generating effects that are supplemental to their independent effects. This article reports the application of Wright's suggestion to the empirical example of cultural consumption in estimating the interactive effect of class and gender on cultural consumption in five countries. The empirical application presented here also considered interactions between gender and family status. The findings revealed three interesting variants in the way clender works: (1) a disadvantaged consumption score for women of the lower classes in Italy and Sweden; (2) an advantage in cultural consumption for women of the upper classes in West Germany and the United States; (3) no cultural consumption differences between men and women of different classes in Israel. The interaction between gender and family status was also manifested in different ways in the different cases. This article adds to the literature that juxtaposes gender and class within the sociology of consumption and draws new connections between social and cultural boundaries based on an international comparison.
Honors Programs in Community Colleges: A Review of Recent Issues and Literature

The author examined information about honors programs and curricula in 38 community colleges and districts in 19 states from a 24-year period (1974 to 1998). Four primary issues framed the literature review: why colleges have honors programs, what the stated goals are for such programs, how honors curricula are structured, and whether honors programs succeed. Both motivations and stated goals varied among the colleges and districts, but honors programs generally are designed to recognize and meet the needs of excellent students and to encourage excellence. Honors courses take several forms, but many programs rely heavily on special sections of core curriculum courses. Few published reports provide longitudinal data on honors program effectiveness but rely on data from student questionnaires that indicate high satisfaction levels. Nevertheless, some studies report program dropout problems. The author asserts the need for careful and balanced evaluative studies of honors programs.
Internet QoS: a big picture

We present a framework for the emerging Internet quality of service (QoS). All the important components of this framework-integrated services, RSVP, differentiated services, multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), and constraint-based routing-are covered. We describe what integrated services and differentiated services are, how they can be implemented, and the problems they have. We then describe why MPLS and constraint-based routing have been introduced into this framework, how they differ from and relate to each other, and where they fit into the differentiated services architecture. Two likely service architectures are presented, and the end-to-end service deliveries in these two architectures are illustrated. We also compare ATM networks to router networks with differentiated services and MPLS. Putting all these together, we give the readers a grasp of the big picture of the emerging Internet QoS.
Long-Term Follow-Up of Quality of Life following DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction

Background: Sequelae resulting from breast cancer negatively impact patients’ quality of life. Although the deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap has become a standard for autologous breast reconstruction, there are limited data regarding long-term quality of life. The authors studied patients’ quality of life more than 5 years after DIEP flap breast reconstruction and compare it with two French reference samples. Methods: A cross-sectional study of quality of life was performed in women who underwent DIEP flap breast reconstruction between 1995 and 2007 using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Health Survey (Short Form-36). The first reference sample included subjects from the French general population (n = 3308), and the second included cancer survivors who underwent mastectomy with (n = 70) or without (n = 135) breast reconstruction. Results: One hundred eleven respondents were analyzed among 186 eligible women. The mean follow-up period after reconstruction was 8.6 years (range, 5 to 15 years). There were no statistically significant differences in the quality of life between women from 45 to 64 years old who underwent DIEP flap breast reconstruction and from the French general population. Five of the eight Short Form-36 dimensions were significantly better in the DIEP flap breast reconstruction group in the 65- to 74-year-old cohort. In addition, quality of life of our study population was significantly higher than that of women who underwent mastectomy with or without any type of breast reconstruction. Conclusion: These results indicate that DIEP flap breast reconstruction allows patients with breast cancer to maintain a good postoperative quality of life comparable to that of the general population. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.
Characterization of carrier generation in enhancement-mode SOI MOSFET's

The carrier generation in enhancement-mode SOI MOSFETs is studied by applying a suitable bias step on one gate, which drives it from depletion of accumulation to stronger accumulation and creates a deep-depletion condition under the other gate. An accurate analysis of this technique is made through a critical reexamination of the physical mechanisms and assumptions involved. By carefully considering all the essential events taking place in the device as it relaxes back to steady state, a Zerbst-type expression is obtained for the resulting current transients, which leads to a straightforward evaluation of the generation lifetime and surface generation velocity. The method is used to study SIMOX transistors, and it is shown that a very long lifetime can be achieved by multiple oxygen implants. <<ETX>>
‘The Other Side of Silence’: The Role of the Appropriate Adult Post-Bradley

The publication of the Bradley review in the United Kingdom is a watershed in the development of policy regarding the way that the Criminal Justice System responds to individuals with mental health problems. It then goes on to explore one aspect of that response: the role of the Appropriate Adult under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984).
The Relationship between the WJ-R Gf-Gc Cognitive Clusters and Mathematics Achievement across the Life-Span

The relationship between the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised (WJ-R) cognitive clusters (Long-Term Retrieval, Short-Term Memory, Visual Processing, Auditory Processing, Processing Speed, Comprehension-Knowledge, Fluid Reasoning) and mathematics achievement measures (WJ-R Basic Mathematics Skills and Mathematics Reasoning clusters) was investigated in the WJ-R standardization sample. Multiple regression analysis with the WJ-R cognitive clusters as predictors and the mathematics achievement measures as criteria at 21 different age groups revealed significant relationships among three of the seven cognitive clusters and mathematics achievement at various ages. The degree of relationship between the cognitive clusters and mathematics achievement changed as a function of age. The results have implications for using standardized measures of cognitive abilities to explain problems of mathematics achievement.
The effects of an intervention strategy on children’s heart rates and skill performance

The purpose of this project was to examine the effectiveness of a fitness infusion instructional strategy (FI) on children’s activity levels and skill performance scores. This strategy included aerobic activity within the skill practice tasks and game play. In other words, students performed short bouts of activity between the practice and game/application trials. Participants were 86 fifth‐grade students who participated in six activities over a 24‐week period. The six activities were tennis skills, gymnastics, volleyball skills, floor hockey skills, basketball skills, and softball skills. Results indicated that both the control group and the FI group showed significant gains in skill performance scores from pre to posttest. The primary finding, however, was that the FI group exhibited heart rates that more than doubled those of the control group. These results suggest that infusing fitness into the skill practice and game play does not have a negative impact on skill development. In light of the alarming increase in obesity rates among children and adolescents, these preliminary findings may provide a practical strategy to increase physical activity levels and improve motor skills during physical education class.
Exploring the work and learning stories of para‐teachers in a college for further education in England

This paper reports findings from a research project which developed and introduced the Enhanced Learning Support Assistant Programme ( ELSAP). This was a source of professional development for learning support assistants who were supporting students with additional learning needs in a college for further education in England. The purpose of this paper is to share findings from the project and to report on how learning support assistants experienced their work in inclusive college classrooms. The research project was a mixed methods study with participants drawn from learning support assistants within one college for further education in England. Data was collected throughout the 14-week intervention. Findings indicate that issues exist around the uniqueness of the vocational curriculum and the implications this has for classroom support. It also shows how conflicting classroom procedures can generate feelings of confusion and how learning support workers often feel lonely in their role with no natural opportunity to mix with others. Furthermore, it indicates how a general lack of knowledge about teaching and learning contribute to them experiencing difficulty when performing their role which feed their views that a college for further education can be a complex and hostile environment to work in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Functional Bracing for Rupture of the Achilles Tendon. Clinical Results and Analysis of Ground-Reaction Forces and Temporal Data*

Fifteen patients who had sustained a rupture of the Achilles tendon were managed non-operatively with use of a functional bracing protocol, and clinical and functional performance measures were assessed after a mean duration of follow-up of thirty-one months (range, twenty-four to forty-five months). An age and gender-matched group of fifteen subjects was assessed to provide normative data for the comparison of side-to-side differences. Numerical scores were generated on the basis of subjective responses to a questionnaire, clinical measurements of the range of motion of the ankle and the circumference of the calf, and the results of the Thompson squeeze test and a single-limb heel-rise test. A 100-point scoring system was used to categorize the outcome as excellent, good, fair, or poor. In addition, ground-reaction forces and temporal data were assessed during functional dynamic activities that included walking, a single-limb power hop, and a thirty-second single-limb heel-rise endurance test. The result was graded as excellent for three patients, good for nine, fair for two, and poor for one. An increase in passive dorsiflexion of the treated ankle was the only clinical measure that was significantly different between the groups (p = 0.02). This increase in dorsiflexion was positively correlated with vertical force output between the mid-stance and terminal-stance phases of gait (r = 0.40, p = 0.05). With the numbers available, we could detect no significant differences between the groups with regard to the kinetic or temporal variables that were measured during functional dynamic activities. Patients who generated less peak vertical force and vertical height during the single-limb power-hop test tended to have poorer clinical scores. We believe that non-operative functional bracing may prove to be a viable alternative to operative intervention or use of a plaster cast for the treatment of acute ruptures of the Achilles tendon. The goals of treatment are to prevent the musculoskeletal changes that are associated with immobilization, to reduce the time needed for rehabilitation, and to facilitate an early return to work and to preinjury activities.
Goals and Achievement Orientations of Anglo and Mexican-American Adolescents in Sport and the Classroom

The purpose of this study was to analyze the situational perspectives on achie vement motivation held by two distinct social groups in a multicultural setting. It was assumed, in contrast to previous perspectives (Atkinson, 1964; McClelland, 1961; Weiner, 1974), that the motivation to achieve is a complex and multidimen sional construct. In this investigation, it was deemed important to consider that achievement motivation evolves around the demonstration of a desirable and valued characteristic, behavior, and/or outcome. This demonstration is based on some standard of excellence which entails social comparison (ego-involvement) or is dependent on personal goals on the requirements of a task (task-involvement). Further, in an achievement situation, it was assumed that individuals attempt to secure success and/or avoid failure which reflect on the individual and/or group. The present study found cultural, sex-linked and situational variations in achievement goals (or definitions of success and failure) and the preferred means to attain these goals (achievement orientations). An awareness of such differences between distinct cultures in diverse achievement situations may help us better understand the achievement behaviors of individuals.
Animal Hoarding in Victoria, Australia: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT Animal hoarding not only presents significant welfare issues for the animals involved, but also for the hoarders and people in the surrounding community. Existing studies on the issue have primarily been undertaken in the USA and little is known about animal hoarding in other countries, including Australia. It has been estimated that the per-capita prevalence of animal hoarding in Victoria, Australia, is similar to that in the USA, but in order to design effective intervention strategies, the extent of the issue and its characteristics need to be identified. This study analyzes data from 22 recent cases of animal hoarding from a number of agencies in Victoria. The demographics and living conditions of animal hoarders in Victoria and the USA were found to be similar. In contrast, the animals involved in hoarding cases in Victoria were in a better condition than the animals in the USA, with behavioral issues being the leading animal welfare concern in Australia. Behavioral problems resulted in euthanasia of the animals in 45% of the cases studied. All of the agencies included in this study call for a greater involvement or support from human mental health services to fully address the root of the problem. The information from this study can be used to help identify groups at risk to develop effective and appropriate means of prevention of, and intervention in, animal hoarding cases.
Perceived Factors Impacting School Music Programs

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary music teachers’ perceptions of factors impacting their music programs and teaching positions as well as the actions these teachers take in response to those factors. The following research questions guided the study: (1) What factors are perceived to impact music programs and teaching positions? (2) What is the nature of these factors? (3) How and within what socioecological levels do teachers act on behalf of their programs or positions? (4) To what degree are specific actions, people, and/or groups thought effective in impacting music programs? U.S. music teachers (N = 432) responded to a survey designed to answer these questions. A socioecological framework was used in the design of the survey and analysis of the data. Results suggest that teachers perceive micro-level factors (school) to have a substantial impact on their programs. Teachers’ actions were mostly focused on the micro level although many teachers considered meso-level (school district) engagement to be vital for maintaining or improving music programs in a given school district. Besides music-specific policies, macro-level issues (state and national) were not viewed as impacting programs in substantive ways. The further removed a factor from the micro level, the less impact was felt and the fewer actions were taken.
Social, Cultural, and Psychological Impacts of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

The sociocultural and psychological impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill were examined in a population-based study of 594 men and women living in 13 Alaskan communities approximately one year after the spill occurred. A progressive "dose-response" relationship was found between exposure to the oil spill and the subsequent cleanup efforts and the following variables: reported declines in traditional social relations with family members, friends, neighbors and coworkers; a decline in subsistence production and distribution activities; perceived increases in the amount of and problems associated with drinking, drug abuse, and domestic violence; a decline in perceived health status and an increase in the number of medical conditions verified by a physician; and increased post-spill rates of generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. Alaskan Natives, women, and 18-44 year olds in the high- and low-exposed groups were particularly at risk for the three psychiatric disorders f.
How clustering affects epidemics in complex networks

Epidemic spreading is closely related with topology of complex networks. Besides heterogeneity in the number of contacts, the clustering of contacts can also have far-reaching epidemiological consequences. Here we investigate the effects of clustering coefficient on epidemic dynamics in complex networks. Results show that the effects of clustering on epidemics differ in different networks. In homogeneous networks, the clustering can inhibit the epidemics when the infection scale is small. However, the inhibition effect will be reduced as the infection goes on. While in heterogeneous networks, there is no inhibition effect during all the process of the infection, which is also confirmed in real networks.
The call center as a revolving door: a Philippine perspective

Purpose – This study sought to explain the high turnover rates in Philippine call centers using a cultural lens. Specifically, the study looks at the phenomenon of work‐life conflict and its impact on turnover intent. It also examined the moderating role of perceived organization support on the relationship between work‐life conflict and turnover intent.Design/methodology/approach – The study utilized a two‐phased, mixed‐method approach. In the first phase, qualitative data from 30 interviews were obtained to validate the existence of the constructs among Filipino call center agents. In the second phase, 991 surveys were administered to quantitatively test the hypothesized relationships between the study variables.Findings – Results show that work‐life conflict predicts intent to leave over and beyond that explained by job satisfaction. Findings also show that organizational support moderates the relationship between work‐life conflict and intent to leave. The results also reveal the context‐specific sour.
Optimization of a single seam removal using a GPU

In this paper we consider the problem of implementing and optimizing the Seam Carving algorithm on graphics processing units. Seam Carving is a content-aware image resizing method proposed by Avidan and Shamir. In order to use their proposed method in real-time application , a pre-processing step is needed. While some other papers propose real-time resizing by changing the original Seam Carving method, this paper focuses on optimizing the basic single-seam method, for use on CUDA GPUs. To our best knowledge none has focused on optimizing this single-seam method so that it would best fit the GPU architecture.