Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the Form of Smooth-Front Travelling Waves in a Reaction-Diffusion Equation with Degenerate Nonlinear Diffusion

Reaction-diffusion equations with degenerate nonlinear diffusion are in widespread use as models of biological phenomena. This paper begins with a survey of applications to ecology, cell biology and bacterial colony patterns. The author then reviews mathematical results on the existence of travelling wave front solutions of these equations, and their generation from given initial data. A detailed study is then presented of the form of smooth-front waves with speeds close to that of the (unique) sharp-front solution, for the particular equation ut = (uux)x + u(1 i u). Using singular perturbation theory, the author derives an asymptotic approximation to the wave, which gives valuable information about the structure of smooth-front solutions. The approximation compares well with numerical results.
Inter-session network coding in delay-tolerant networks under Spray-and-Wait routing

The goal of this paper is to derive the performance analysis for a unicast session, under Spray-and-Wait routing and inter-session network coding, in the presence of background traffic in DTN with homogeneous mobility. General settings are considered for the distribution of the data rate between nodes, the buffer size, the number of sessions contending for network resources. Thanks to mean-field approximations, fluid models are derived to predict the dissemination of the packets pertaining to different flows, thereby presenting the first, to the best of the authors knowledge, study of performance in DTN with Spray-and-Wait under the presence of contention between several sessions. The accuracy of the model is assessed through simulations based on synthetic mobility traces.
The Clinical Features and Prognosis of Gastric Remnant Carcinoma after Treatment

Introduction. The incidence of gastric remnant carcinoma does not decrease after partial gastrectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and prognosis of gastric remnant carcinoma after treatment. Methods. Among 412 gastric carcinoma patients who were admitted to our hospital, 21 were found to have gastric remnant carcinoma. We analyzed their clinicopathological features and prognosis. Results. Prognosis did not differ significantly in terms of gender, age, tumor lymph node metastasis stage, tumor location, and time interval between first and subsequent operations. However, it was influenced by intensive curative gastrectomy with resection of local lymph nodes. Conclusion. Long-term follow-up after gastrectomy, appropriate curative resection, and prevention and management of comorbidities are important to detect gastric remnant carcinoma at an early stage.
‘You don't need a degree to get a coaching job’: investigating the employability of sports coaching degree students

ABSTRACT Though highly popular, degree-level sports coaching qualifications are in their infancy, and it remains that ‘an individual intending to become an accredited coaching practitioner can only do so by undertaking their sport's national governing body (NGB) coaching award(s)’ [Nelson et al., 2006, p. 254. Formal, nonformal and informal coach learning: A holistic conceptualisation. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 1(3), 247–259]. Consequently, little is known about the development of HE sports coaching students’ employability. This study critically investigates sports coaching students’ degree-study motives, development of employability skills and perceptions of career prospects as graduates. Survey data and follow-up interviews from two U.K. post-92 universities reveal tensions between liberal and vocational philosophies of university education and concerns about the graduate labour market. Critical incidents and missed opportunities in students’ development of key skills for coaching during and outside of university are also discussed.
Materialization: A Powerful and Ubiquitous Abstraction Pattern

Materialization is a useful abstraction pattern that can be identified in many application settings. Intuitively, materialization is the relationship between a class of categories (e.g., models of cars) and a class of more concrete objects (e.g., individual cars). This paper gives a quasi-formal semantic definition of materialization in terms of the usual is-a and isof abstractions, and of a class/metaclass correspondence. New and powerful inheritance mechanisms are associated with materialization. Examples, properties, and extensions of materialization are also presented. Providing materialization as an abstraction mechanism for conceptual modeling enhances expressiveness by a controled introduction of classification at the application level.
Impacts of spiritual and cultural intelligence on leadership effectiveness: a conceptual analysis

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of Spiritual and Cultural Intelligence on Leadership effectiveness in global environment using the available current literature. Through the review of past work, the most dominant concept of cultural intelligence was introduced by Ang et al. (2007) where four dimensions of cultural intelligence were proposed (metacognitive intelligence, cognitive intelligence, motivational intelligence, and behavioural intelligence). In terms of spiritual intelligence, Zohar and Marshall (2005) and Reeve (2005) work could be a very useful and gain much attention in the field. Both framework to measure cultural intelligence and spiritual intelligence were empirically examined in relations with leadership effectiveness. A mixed result was reported. However it is important to note that majority of the study indicated that Cultural intelligence and Spiritual Intelligence have positive and significant impact on global leadership effectiveness in terms of decision making, performance, and commitment. Therefore this paper is proposed to collect data using three instruments: Ang et al. (2007)’s four cultural intelligence dimensions and the measurement tool will be used to measure cultural intelligence. To measure Spiritual Intelligence, Zohar and Marshall (2005)’s measurement tools will be used and to measure leadership effectiveness, Kouzes and Posner (1995). This study will be useful for individual managers and organisation in developing global mind-set and effectiveness of their managers in global environment and working with diverse workgroups.
The Effectiveness of e-Learning for Blended Courses in Colleges: A Multi-level Empirical Study

Teaching and learning are no longer restricted to traditional classrooms, while e-learning (electronic learning) has become one of the powerful supporting tools which have diversified the traditional context of learning in colleges. With the rapid development of technology, the Internet as a delivery platform has motivated colleges to invest their resources on developing online programs. Meanwhile, the blended course, which combines online components with the conventional face-to-face components, has emerged as alternative mode of teaching and learning and a substantial supplement. With opportunities and barriers as well, however, the development and management of e-learning are still challenging, especially for the continuous improvement of students’ learning effectiveness via e-learning for blended courses. This paper applies the socio-technical systems theory to review and integrate theories on students’ e-learning from a macro view. To make up the insufficiency of related research, literature review is conducted first, and an analysis model is constructed to thoroughly explore factors affecting e-learning effectiveness. Later, through a questionnaire survey on students’ adoption of e-learning and subsequent multi-level data analysis, hypotheses on the relationship of the influencing factors and the research model are verified. Results show that e-learning effectiveness (usefulness of e-learning, use, and e-learning performance) is simultaneously or alternately affected by direct or moderating factors of the technical system and the social system at the learning environment level and the individual level. Compared with the existing research, this paper uses a more comprehensive system view to construct the theoretical model and empirically verify it. The results can be a reference for future researchers and managers of e-learning in colleges.
Extracting Notes from Chinese Gong-che Notation Musical Score Image Using a Self-adaptive Smoothing and Connected Component Labeling Algorithm

In this paper, we present a novel algorithm to segment a Chinese Gong-che Notation (GCN) musical score image and extract notes from the image. First, a self-adaptive smoothing algorithm was used to segment the image with an X-axis function that shows the number of object pixels in each pixel column of the image. The X-axis function uses X-projection to compute the number of flex points. Next, the algorithm iteratively smooth the function and computes the number of flex points of the next smoothed function, until the number of flex points between both functions are equal. Finally, the image is segmented into several sub-images using the X-axis values for flex points in the function. For extracting notes from the image, we first obtain all connected components in the image using a conventional connected component labeling algorithm and compute the minimum boundary-box of all connected components. Next, the algorithm decides which connected component belongs to which subimage. The 50 GCN images used for testing are musical score images from Nashu Studio Theatrical Music. Experimental results show that the correct rate of segmentation is 98.9%, and the loss rate of notes is 2.705%.
RFID & vision based indoor positioning and identification system

RFID is the best choice for indoor positioning as it attaches equal importance to both accuracy and cost; however, with the limited strength stability of RFID signals, coupled with interferences of indoor environments and furniture, the positioning system based on RFID only is subject to bottlenecks, which are difficult to break through for positioning accuracy. Therefore, this paper presents an RV-based indoor positioning and identification system which integrating RFID and vision techniques, via cross reference of video images, RFID positioning, and ID information, improves the accuracy of personnel positioning and possesses the function of personnel identification.
Barcode readers using the camera device in mobile phones

This paper shows new algorithms and the implementations of image reorganization for EAN/QR barcodes in mobile phones. The mobile phone system used here consists of a camera, mobile application processor, digital signal processor (DSP), and display device, and the source image is captured by the embedded camera device. The introduced algorithm is based on the code area found by four corners detection for 2D barcode and spiral scanning for 1D barcode using the embedded DSP. This algorithm is robust for practical situations and the DSP has good enough performance for the real-time recognition of the codes. The performance of our image processing is 66.7 frames/sec for EAN code and 14.1 frames/sec for QR code image processing, and this is sufficient performance for practical use. The released mobile phone had performance of 5-10 frames/sec including OS and subsystem overheads.
Development of universal robot gripper using MRα fluid

We developed a smart magnetic fluid called MRα fluid. The specific gravity of the developed fluid is half and its solidification hardness is twice that of MR fluid. In this paper, the characteristics of the MRα fluid and an application that can control solidification under a magnetic field are described. Further, we developed a novel robot gripper using MRα fluid, and several experimental results investigating the features and capabilities of the gripper are presented.
Life time prediction for lead-free solder joints under vibration loads

In this work the life time of solder joints of SMD components is studied under vibration loading. This kind of purely mechanical load is one of the main failure causes in automotive electronics. A test vehicle has been designed to enable vibration testing on SMD capacitors (size 0805). The test vehicle is distinguished with a line clamping and stripe shape which both leads to a concerted loading of the component solder joints. The test vehicles were analysed for their resonant frequency prior test and loaded with a sinusoidal vibration close to the resonant frequency for certain numbers of cycles. The loading of the individual components was measured using a vibrometer. Components were stressed with wave amplitudes from 0.3 mm up to 0.8 mm and normalised cycle counts from 1 up to 12. All tests were accomplished at room temperature. Cross sectioning was performed to evaluate damage location within and cracking of the solder joints. The observed damage location clearly differs to results from temperature cycling tests. Cracking of the intermetallic interface was not observed. Cracks propagated in the solder bulk. This enables a solder fatigue model since no interface effect is involved in the damage process.
Nonadherence and Contributing Factors among Ambulatory Patients with Antidiabetic Medications in Adama Referral Hospital

The objective of this study was to determine the magnitude of nonadherence and its contributing factors among diabetic patients attending the diabetic clinic in Adama Hospital. Methods. This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among patients with diabetes mellitus attending the diabetes mellitus clinic of Adama Referral Hospital. Every other patient was selected and data regarding their medication adherence was collected using a structured interview. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS-16. Result. The response rate from this study was 98.3%. A total of 270 patients were interviewed; 51.5% were males. A total of 68.1% of the patients included in the study were married. 14% were younger than 40 years, and 50% were between 40 and 60 years. 21.8% of the participants ascribed their nonadherence to forgetting to take their medications. Patients with duration of diabetes ≤5 years (82.07%) were more compliant to their medication than those with >5 years (60.8%), which was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.003). Insulin, 47%, and glibenclamide plus metformin, 43.7%, were the most commonly prescribed mono- and combination therapies, respectively. Common comorbid conditions include hypertension, 148 (54.82%), and visual impairment, 89 (32.96%). The proportion of male patients adherent to their antidiabetic medications was found to be lower than 69.78% compared to the female patients (74.81%), but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusion. Most diabetic patients are currently being managed with the most effective available drugs. However the result from this study indicates that the desired blood sugar level could not be controlled and maintained adequately. This was because of poor adherence to the prescribed drug regimen and poor knowledge and practice of successful self-management.
Identification of late-onset hypogonadism in middle-aged and elderly men.

BACKGROUND The association between aging-related testosterone deficiency and late-onset hypogonadism in men remains a controversial concept. We sought evidence-based criteria for identifying late-onset hypogonadism in the general population on the basis of an association between symptoms and a low testosterone level. METHODS We surveyed a random population sample of 3369 men between the ages of 40 and 79 years at eight European centers. Using questionnaires, we collected data with regard to the subjects' general, sexual, physical, and psychological health. Levels of total testosterone were measured in morning blood samples by mass spectrometry, and free testosterone levels were calculated with the use of Vermeulen's formula. Data were randomly split into separate training and validation sets for confirmatory analyses. RESULTS In the training set, symptoms of poor morning erection, low sexual desire, erectile dysfunction, inability to perform vigorous activity, depression, and fatigue were significantly related to the testosterone level. Increased probabilities of the three sexual symptoms and limited physical vigor were discernible with decreased testosterone levels (ranges, 8.0 to 13.0 nmol per liter [2.3 to 3.7 ng per milliliter] for total testosterone and 160 to 280 pmol per liter [46 to 81 pg per milliliter] for free testosterone). However, only the three sexual symptoms had a syndromic association with decreased testosterone levels. An inverse relationship between an increasing number of sexual symptoms and a decreasing testosterone level was observed. These relationships were independently confirmed in the validation set, in which the strengths of the association between symptoms and low testosterone levels determined the minimum criteria necessary to identify late-onset hypogonadism. CONCLUSIONS Late-onset hypogonadism can be defined by the presence of at least three sexual symptoms associated with a total testosterone level of less than 11 nmol per liter (3.2 ng per milliliter) and a free testosterone level of less than 220 pmol per liter (64 pg per milliliter).
Obesity: An outcome of abnormal eating behavior

The Arabic word for health صحي is synonymous in English language to “weight” وزن (Khoury, 2001), and a cultural link for perceiving weight as health can very well be understood, the impact of Arabic culture and values on a random Pakistani cannot be denied under any circumstances. Obesity is a major concern, in adults and more so in children. Pakistan is going through a transitional phase for some decades whereby changes are coming across in lifestyles, family structures, incomes, a new set of stresses, rural to urban shift, migrants’ influx making the transition all the more complex when compared to other countries (Nanan, 2002).
Outpatient and hospital visits associated with otitis media among American Indian and Alaska native children younger than 5 years.

OBJECTIVE To describe the burden of otitis media (OM) among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children. METHODS OM morbidity among AI/AN younger than 5 years was evaluated using OM-associated outpatient visit and hospitalization rates. These rates were compared with outpatient and hospitalization rates for the general US population of children younger than 5 years. AI/AN children who were younger than 5 years and receiving care through the Indian Health Service or tribally operated facilities and US children younger than 5 years of age were studied. RESULTS From 1994--1996, the average annual rate of AI/AN OM-associated outpatient visits was 138 per 100 children younger than 5 years. Among AI/AN children younger than 1 year (infants), these rates were almost 3 times greater than those for US infants (318 vs 110 visits per 100 infants, respectively). AI/AN children 1 to 4 years of age had rates 1.5 times greater than US children of the same age (107 vs 65 visits per 100 children, respectively). AI/AN children also experienced higher rates of OM-associated hospitalization than did US children (5643 vs 2440 per 100 000 infants, 823 vs 665 per 100 000 1- to 4-year-olds). CONCLUSION We found that AI/AN children, especially AI/AN infants, have higher OM-associated outpatient and hospitalization rates than those for the general US population of children. The disparity in rates suggests that additional prevention programs and continued resources are needed to reduce OM morbidity among AI/AN children.
Automated Immunohistochemical Analysis of the Orbitofrontal Cortex in Patients with Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder

Previous studies have found evidence for orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) pathology in major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BP) and to a lesser extent schizophrenia (SCZ). However, given that the OFC is a large heterogeneous area, it is difficult to assess how findings from small subareas translate to the entire region. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the entire OFC in patients with MDD, BP and SCZ. Using a novel approach with layer-specific immunohistochemical markers and an automated counting protocol, we were able to analyze the cortical width, cell density, cell area and distance from pia in the entire OFC of 60 post-mortem brain samples (15 control, 15 MDD, 15 BP, 15 SCZ). We did not find strongly significant differences between patients and control subjects. Our findings suggest that inconsistencies in the literature may arise from sampling only small areas of the cortex in a limited number of subjects.
Longitudinal effects of human supremacy beliefs and vegetarianism threat on moral exclusion (vs. inclusion) of animals

Stronger beliefs in human supremacy over animals, and stronger perceived threat posed by vegetarianism to traditional practices, are associated with stronger speciesism and more meat consumption (Dhont & Hodson, 2014). Both variables might also be implicated in the moral exclusion of animals. We tested this potential in a 16-month longitudinal study in the USA (N = 219). Human supremacy showed longitudinal effects on the moral exclusion of all animals. Vegetarianism threat only predicted moral exclusion of food animals (e.g., cows and pigs), and, unexpectedly, appealing wild animals (e.g., chimps and dolphins). These findings demonstrate the importance of both human supremacy and perceived threat in explaining moral exclusion of animals and highlight potential paradoxical negative consequences of the rise of vegetarianism.
Testing the Balanced Affect Model of Clergy Work-Related Psychological Health: Replication Among Anglican Clergy in Wales

ABSTRACT Drawing on the classic model of balanced affect, the Francis Burnout Inventory (FBI) conceptualised good work-related psychological health among clergy in terms of negative affect being balanced by positive affect. In the FBI negative affect is assessed by the Scale of Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry (SEEM) and positive affect is assessed by the Satisfaction in Ministry Scale (SIMS). In support of the idea of balanced affect, previous work had shown a significant interaction between the effects of SEEM and SIMS scores in predicting individual differences as an independent measure of burnout. The present study extends previous research among a sample of 358 Anglican priests in Wales who completed the FBI together with an index of thoughts of leaving ministry as an independent measure of burnout. These data found a significant interaction between the effects of SEEM and SIMS scores confirming that the mitigating effects of satisfaction in ministry on thoughts of leaving ministry increased with increasing levels of negative affect.