Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
cs . L G ] 2 5 M ar 2 01 8 Logistic Regression : The Importance of Being Improper

Learning linear predictors with the logistic loss—both in stochastic and online settings— is a fundamental task in learning and statistics, with direct connections to classification and boosting. Existing “fast rates” for this setting exhibit exponential dependence on the predictor norm, and Hazan et al. (2014) showed that this is unfortunately unimprovable. Starting with the simple observation that the logistic loss is 1-mixable, we design a new efficient improper learning algorithm for online logistic regression that circumvents the aforementioned lower bound with a regret bound exhibiting a doubly-exponential improvement in dependence on the predictor norm. This provides a positive resolution to a variant of the COLT 2012 open problem of McMahan and Streeter (2012) when improper learning is allowed. This improvement is obtained both in the online setting and, with some extra work, in the batch statistical setting with high probability. We also show that the improved dependency on predictor norm is also near-optimal. Leveraging this improved dependency on the predictor norm yields the following applications: (a) we give algorithms for online bandit multiclass learning with the logistic loss with an Õ(√n) relative mistake bound across essentially all parameter ranges, thus providing a solution to the COLT 2009 open problem of Abernethy and Rakhlin (2009), and (b) we give an adaptive algorithm for online multiclass boosting with optimal sample complexity, thus partially resolving an open problem of Beygelzimer et al. (2015) and Jung et al. (2017). Finally, we give information-theoretic bounds on the optimal rates for improper logistic regression with general function classes, thereby characterizing the extent to which our improvement for linear classes extends to other parameteric and even nonparametric settings.
The Role of College Students’ College-attendance Value and Achievement Goals in Desired Learning Outcomes

The purpose of this study is twofold, testing how hierarchical motivation modeling explains college students’ academic performances over subsequent semesters; extending the motivation modeling on the university graduate attributes of another sample at a certain time point, by the regular, contextualized institutional-research (IR) practices. The hierarchical motivation modeling denotes that college-attendance values explain achievement goals, eliminating the effect of prior academic performance (i.e., the covariate). Participants were two cohorts of college sophomores with a 1-year gap in Taiwan who voluntarily responded to regular university-wide surveys. The path analysis results of Study 1 (N = 652, 39% female, 61% male) confirmed that the modeling explains the subsequent academic performance, and study hours. Those of Study 2 (N = 681, 43% female, 57% male) further confirmed that achievement goals mediate the values and the attributes. These IR findings indicate directions for college education innovation in boosting the motivated trajectory and the desired learning outcomes worldwide.
Moult intensity and chronology of Tundra Swans during spring and fall migration at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario

Moult intensity and chronology in staging Eastern-Population (EP) Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus columbianus) were studied during spring in 1999 and 2000 (n = 35) and during fall in 1999, 2000, and 2001 (n = 47) at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario. To test for age, sex, and seasonal differences in moult intensity, 20 feather regions were scored according to the proportion of growing feathers. Adult, subadult, and juvenile Tundra Swans moulted con- tour feathers at low intensities during spring and fall. Males and females of all three age classes had similar patterns and intensities of moult during spring and fall. Shared costs of incubation and brood rearing, perennial monogamy, and lack of a breeding plumage could be some of the pressures selecting for intersexual similarities in feather replacement during migration. Adult, subadult, and juvenile Tundra Swans moulted more intensively during fall than spring. Larger lipid reserves and seasonal dietary differences may allow fall-staging Tundra Swans to moult more intensively than spring-staging birds at Long Point. Overlap of nutritionally costly events (moult and migration) may be necessary as Tundra Swans spend half of their annual cycle on spring and fall staging areas. However, reduced daily nutritional costs associated with moulting at low intensities and migrating slowly apparently permits the overlap of these two life- cycle events.
The Effects of Artificial Turf On the Performance of Soccer Players and Evaluating the Risk Factors Compared To Natural Grass

The global popularity of soccer has led to widespread tendency towards this sport. Because of the convenience of using artificial surfaces, the rapid growth of using these surfaces led to concerns about the declining performance of the players. The aim of this comprehensive review is to study the difference between the performance of players on different playing surfaces and the risk factors for use of artificial turf compared to natural grass. A literature search of valid scientific databases such as Science Direct, PubMed and Jstor by searching keywords was performed. In total, more than 6,000 articles were retrieved. After the preliminary selection process, the final analysis was performed on a total of 76 articles. Results: Mechanical properties of artificial grass have a significant effect on the average time of sprinting, the best time of sprinting and maximum speed. The numbers of sliding tackles on artificial turf were lower compared to natural grass. Artificial turfs exposed hardness, elasticity and high friction. The characteristics of artificial grass have changed over time and increased the probability of injuries. There was no significant difference between the overall risks of acute injuries in soccer players performing on artificial turf compared to natural grass. The amateur, young and female soccer players had rated lower injuries on artificial grass. But the rate of injuries in elite soccer players were higher on artificial grass and hence they are not found of playing on such playing surfaces. DOI : 10.14302/issn.2470-5020.jnrt-17-1487 Corresponding author: yasamin Alipour Ataabadi, Phd student of Sports Biomechanics. Address: Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Department of Sports Biomechanics, kharazmi university, Tehran, Iran. Tel no: +98913234734. Email:yas.alipour@gmail.com
Analysis of Adoption and Constraint Perceived by Mandarin Growers in Jhalawar District of Rajasthan State, India

India has accelerated in total annual production of horticulture crops touching over 282.million tones. Today India has the second largest producer of the fruits i.e. 89 million tones contribution nearly 10 % of the world production. In the Rajasthan, Nagpur Mandarin, confined mainly in the districts of Jhalawar, Kota and Bhilwara, however total acreage in Jhalawar district is 30000 ha under Nagpur mandarin. There are many problems associated with adoption of recommended package of practices which may be related to socioeconomic status of farmers, technological, financial, or institutional etc. which need to be addressed. These problems reflect the quality of advisory services provided to the farmers. The mandarin yield and quality may be improved economic security and support to sustainable development. These recommended practices must be followed in totality according to the location specific problems of the area. Imbalanced use of fertilizers has adversely affected the soil causing decrease in organic International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 6 Number 4 (2017) pp. 1465-1470 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Robust Discriminative Projective Dictionary Pair Learning by Adaptive Representations

In this paper, we mainly propose a Robust Adaptive Projective Dictionary Pair Learning (RA-DPL) framework based on the adaptive discriminative representations. Our formulation can seamlessly integrate the robust projective dictionary pair learning and the adaptive sparse representation learning into a unified model. RA-DPL improves the existing DPL algorithm in threefold. First, RA-DPL aims at computing the robust projective dictionary pairs by employing the sparse and robust $l_{2,1}$ -norm to encode the reconstruction error. Second, RA-DPL regularizes the robust $l_{2,1}$ -norm on the analysis dictionary so that the analysis dictionary can extract sparse coefficients from the given samples explicitly. More importantly, the optimization of $l_{2,1}$ -norm is so efficient, that is, the sparse coding step will be time-saving. Third, RA-DPL can clearly preserve the local neighborhood relationship of the sparse coefficients within each class, which can make the learnt representations discriminating and can also improve the discriminating power of learnt dictionary. Extensive simulations on image databases demonstrate that our RA-DPL can obtain the superior performance over other state-of-the-arts.
SPEAKING UP CONSTRUCTIVELY: MANAGERIAL PRACTICES THAT ELICIT SOLUTIONS FROM FRONT-LINE EMPLOYEES

Ideas that could enable organizations to improve their operating processes often come from front-line workers who voice concerns and share ideas about how to solve problems. Our study is among the first to develop and empirically test theory about how specific management practices can encourage employees to speak up about problems and to offer suggestions for solving them. We hypothesize that employees are more likely to speak up and offer solutions when organizations launch information campaigns to promote process improvement and when managers engage in process-improvement activities themselves. We test our hypotheses in the health-care context, in which problems are frequent and many organizations use incident-reporting systems to encourage employees to communicate about the operational problems they witness. Using data on nearly 7,500 reported incidents, we find that information campaigns encouraging process improvement promote both speaking up and offering solutions, while managerial engagement in pro.
Patient Satisfaction on Waiting Time and Duration of Consultation at Orthopedic Clinic, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre

ABSTRACT Patients are increasingly dissatisfied with the “waiting time” and “duration of consultation” at outpatient clinics. A cross sectional study was carried out to measure waiting time and duration of consultation and to examine patients’ level of satisfaction towards waiting time and duration of consultation at the Orthopedic Clinic, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). This study also examined patient’s satisfaction towards the overall clinic services. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 81 patients participated in this study with a response rate of 100 percent. Findings indicated a significant difference in the mean between expected waiting time level II (from the time the patient is given the calling number till the time patient is called into the doctor’s room) and the actual waiting time level II experienced. A significant difference in the mean between the expected duration of consultation and the actual duration of consultation experienced was also noted. However, no significant difference was found between the mean of expected waiting time level I (the time patient register at the counter till the patient is given the calling number) and the actual waiting time (p>0.05). Overall, patient satisfaction towards waiting time was low (29.6%) and duration of consultation was of moderate level (41.9%). The overall satisfaction towards the clinic services were of average level (56.8%). Findings also indicated that patient satisfaction was not influenced by socio-demographic factors of respondents such as age, ethnic, education level, occupation and income level. Important findings from this study may help staff managing the clinic in addressing patients’ complaint on waiting time and improve patients’ satisfaction on the overall services of the Orthopedic clinic in UKMMC.
Determinants and Impacts of Internal Credit Rating

This study enrich the research in the area of credit rating by adding supportive power to the explanation of using factors which have an influence on the CR. Such a power can increase the awareness of the current situation of CR as a subject in one of the developing countries that has unique political and economic characteristics. The results in summary confirm that firm characteristic variables have a significant impact on CR. Profitability is positively associated with CR for all models, while leverage and loss propensity are associated negatively with CR for all (or nearly all regarding loss propensity) models. However, capital intensity is not important. Only size and growth potential (Tobini¯s q) are very strongly positively associated with CR. By contrast, type of sector and audit are not related to CR.
Two-dimensional flow of a viscous fluid in a channel with porous walls

We consider the flow of a viscous incompressible fluid in a parallel-walled channel, driven by steady uniform suction through the porous channel walls. A similarity transformation reduces the Navier-Stokes equations to a single partial differential equation (PDE) for the stream function, with two-point boundary conditions. We discuss the bifurcations of the steady solutions first, and show how a pitchfork bifurcation is unfolded when a symmetry of the problem is broken. Then we describe time-dependent solutions of the governing PDE, which we calculate numerically. We analyse these unsteady solutions when there is a high rate of suction through one wall, and the other wall is impermeable: there is a limit cycle composed of an explosive phase of inviscid growth, and a slow viscous decay. The inviscid phase ‘almost’ has a finite-time singularity. We discuss whether solutions of the governing PDE, which are exact solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations, may develop mathematical singularities in a finite time. When the rates of suction at the two walls are equal so that the problem is symmetrical, there is an abrupt transition to chaos, a ‘homoclinic explosion’, in the time-dependent solutions as the Reynolds number is increased. We unfold this transition by perturbing the symmetry, and compare direct numerical integrations of the governing PDE with a recent theory for ‘Lorenz-like’ dynamical systems. The chaos is found to be very sensitive to symmetry breaking.
Hydrogen production from sugars and complex biomass by Clostridium species, AK14, isolated from Icelandic hot spring.

The hydrogen production ability of strain AK 14 a moderate thermophilic bacterium was studied. According to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis the strain belongs to genus Clostridium but is most closely related to Anaerobacter polyendosporus (95.1% similarity). Growth of strain AK 14 was observed at temperatures between 42 and 52°C with optimal growth at 50°C. Optimum pH for growth was at pH 6.5 but growth was observed from pH 4.5 to 7.5. Fermentation of glucose resulted in the production of acetate and butyrate (major) and ethanol (minor) as well as hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Effect of increased substrate (glucose) concentration was investigated and good correlation was observed between increased substrate loadings and end product formation up to 50 mM. At ≥ 50 mM glucose concentrations, end product formation levelled off and the substrate was not completely degraded. Also the pH at the end of fermentation dropped from 7.0 (control without glucose) to 5.3 (at ≥ 50 mM glucose). The ability to utilize various carbon substrates was tested, with positive growth observed on xylose, glucose, fructose, mannose, galactose, starch and xylan. The end products in all cases were the same as for glucose. By varying the liquid to gas phase during glucose fermentation under batch conditions a clear correlation was found between increased acetate, butyrate and hydrogen production at low gas-to-liquid conditions and less ethanol. Amount and identification of the end product formation from hydrolysates made of lignocellulosic (5.0 g L [dw]) biomass cellulose (from Whatman paper), newspaper, grass (Phleum pratense), barley straw (Hordeum vulgare), and hemp (stem and leaves of Cannabis sativa), was investigated. The biomass was pretreated with either a weak acid (HCl) or a weak base (NaOH) as well as enzymes (Celluclast® and Novozyme 188). The strain produced the most hydrogen (8.5 mol H 2 g VS) from cellulose hydrolysate but less from paper and lignocellulosic biomasses (between 0.26 to 3.60 mol H 2 g VS). The hydrogen production from lignocellulosic biomass was however enhanced significantly by acid and base pretreatment with the highest production from grass (6.23 mol H 2 g VS). Other end products were acetate, butyrate and ethanol.
On the Sources of Movements in Inflation Expectations: A Few Insights from a VAR Model

Using a VAR model that includes a survey measure of expected inflation, this article investigates the responses of expected inflation to temporary shocks to macroeconomic variables during three sample periods, 1953:1--1979:1, 1979:2--2001:1, and 1985:1--2007:1. Shocks to actual inflation, commodity prices, and expected inflation itself have been three major sources of movement in expected inflation, together explaining over 80 percent of the variability in expected inflation. Positive shocks to actual inflation, commodity prices, and expected inflation itself lead to increases in expected inflation that are large and long-lasting in the pre-1979 sample period, but muted and short-lived in post-1979 sample periods. Oil price shocks have only transitory effects on expected inflation. The positive response of expected inflation to higher oil prices found in the pre-1979 sample period is absent in post-1979 sample periods, suggesting that the Federal Reserve may have earned credibility.
Estimating the money market microstructure with negative and zero interest rates

The Furfine [The microstructure of the federal funds market. Financ. Markets Inst. Instrum. , 1999, 8(5), 24–44] algorithm is a key tool for researchers in monetary economics and central banking because it allows identification of the interbank money market microstructure. Furfine's method has been used in numerous studies of money markets but little work has examined how valid its application is at zero and negative interest rates. This work seeks to address this gap. We first extend the standard algorithm to include negative rates and show the bias introduced by the zero interest rate. Secondly, we propose a econometric procedure based on market regularities and the economic likelihood of interbank bilateral relationships to correct the bias. Thirdly, the methodology is applied to TARGET2 data. The impacts of recent monetary policy decisions on key interest rates are studied. We find significantly biased figures when the market microstructure is not correctly estimated.
Peer Scheepers Labour Market and Welfare State Influences Economic Vulnerability among Low-Educated Europeans : Resource , Composition

In this article, we pose the question: To what extent does a lack of individual resources and of access to high quality resources in one’s core social network explain why low-educated people are likely to experience economic vulnerability? Additionally, we explain cross-national differences in the risk that the low-educated run in terms of economic vulnerability. Multi-level models estimated for 22 countries of the European Social Survey show that a lack of labour market success and partner’s resources explain why the low-educated are likely to suffer from economic vulnerability. Next, we find a number of determinants to explain why the low-educated are better off in some countries than in others, i.e. cross-national variation in access of the low-educated group to high quality social resources, beliefs about the productivity of the group as a whole, structural labour market conditions and welfare state arrangements. In so far as welfare states can influence the contexts in which their (low-educated) citizens live, to a great extent they can also reduce economic vulnerability among the low-educated.
Sociology and Development: What is at Stake?

Development and modernisation processes are amid the fundamental themes, if not the constitutive ones, of classical sociological thought. In an attempt to spell out conditions, characteristics and consequences of the economic and social development of countries and contexts, scholars have conceptualised them in various ways. In the different classifications furnished by the sociological classics – from Comte and Spencer to Marx and Engels, from Durkheim to Weber and Simmel – development theory has been central to the theoretical construct. Development is therefore the large metatheme from which both the basic concepts of the discipline and the analytical tools necessary for tackling contingent social problems are derived, whatever their origins. More recently, the development concept has been subjected to such strong critical revision that it has even lost its traditional centrality as a discipline. On the one hand, owing specifically to its multidimensionality, it has started to split up, thereby following the process of a number of specialisations in the sociological field and re-emerging from time to time in different forms within the various subdisciplinary areas. As a result, the potential of the development concept to link different empirical research fields within a single theoretical framework has been weakened. On the other hand, the criticisms expressed against the more rigidly evolutionistic and unidirectional versions of this concept (at times drawn even from the classics themselves) have introduced different distinctions, such as that one between development and growth or between development and progress, as well as new forms of qualification, including sustainable development, human development and territorial development.