Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study of standard setting in constructed response type written examination

Background: Standard setting is the process of determining what the minimum requirements are to be deemed knowledgeable, or competent to practice. In it, the items prepared for the student assessment is standardized before and/or after the student assessment process. The main objective of standard setting is to determine the cut-off score, or pass mark, of an item or a test. Aims & Objective: Objective of the present study was to look at standard setting of summative assessment. Materials and Methods: Present retrospective study of previous 5 years theory papers used Modified Angoff & Hofstee method. Results: It is observed that Cut-off score of all 5 years by Modified Angoff method was set below 50% while same was set above 50% when derived using Hofstee method. Thus, the Hofstee method consistently produced more stringent passing scores than the Modified Angoff method. Study showed statistically significant difference between averages of cut-off scores obtained by the two methods. Conclusion: Study provided us with an insight regarding standard setting i.e. standard setting must be done in concert with the test development process and not be treated as a last or separate step independent of the process. It also puts emphasis on the need of variability in cut-off score in different summative examination depending on difficulty level of the paper.
Integrated Sidelobe Cancellation and Linear Prediction Kalman Filter for Joint Multi-Microphone Speech Dereverberation, Interfering Speech Cancellation, and Noise Reduction

In multi-microphone speech enhancement, reverberation as well as additive noise and/or interfering speech are commonly suppressed by deconvolution and spatial filtering, e.g., using multi-channel linear prediction (MCLP) on the one hand and beamforming, e.g., a generalized sidelobe canceler (GSC), on the other hand. In this article, we consider several reverberant speech components, whereof some are to be dereverberated and others to be canceled, as well as a diffuse (e.g., babble) noise component to be suppressed. In order to perform both deconvolution and spatial filtering, we integrate MCLP and the GSC into a novel architecture referred to as integrated sidelobe cancellation and linear prediction (ISCLP), where the sidelobe-cancellation (SC) filter and the linear prediction (LP) filter operate in parallel, but on different microphone signal frames. Within ISCLP, we estimate both filters jointly by means of a single Kalman filter. We further propose a spectral Wiener gain post-processor, which is shown to relate to the Kalman filter's posterior state estimate. The presented ISCLP Kalman filter is benchmarked against two state-of-the-art approaches, namely first a pair of alternating Kalman filters respectively performing dereverberation and noise reduction, and second an MCLP+GSC Kalman filter cascade. While the ISCLP Kalman filter is roughly $M^2$ times less expensive than both reference algorithms, where $M$ denotes the number of microphones, it is shown to perform at least similarly as compared to the former, and to outperform the latter. A MATLAB implementation is available.
Comparison of Family Environment among Divorced and Non-Divorced Women

The purpose of this research was to compare the family environment among divorced and non-divorced women in Tehran. The statistical population was women that who had referred to the family court and non-divorced women in Tehran. The available sampling method was applied (30 divorced and 30 non-divorced women). The divorced and non-divorced women were matched in age, education and residence. The participants completed family environment questionnaire. MANOVA test was used for analyzing of data. The result showed that the conflict and independence in divorced women are significantly higher than nondivorced women; while non-divorced women were more expressiveness and active recreational orientation than divorced women.
Adaptive trend estimation in financial time series via multiscale change-point-induced basis recovery

Low-frequency financial returns can be modelled as centered around piecewise-constant trend functions which change at certain points in time. We propose a new stochastic time series framework which captures this feature. The main ingredient of our model is a hierarchically-ordered oscillatory basis of simple piecewise-constant functions. It differs from the Fourier-like bases traditionally used in time series analysis in that it is determined by change-points, and hence needs to be estimated from the data before it can be used. The resulting model enables easy simulation and provides interpretable decomposition of nonstationarity into short- and long-term components. The model permits consistent estimation of the multiscale change-point-induced basis via binary segmentation, which results in a variablespan moving-average estimator of the current trend, and allows for short-term forecasting of the average return.
Family Functioning as Predictor towards Self-Concept among Delinquent Adolescents

The influence of family functioning on self-concept is crucial in adolescents' development while negative family environment appears to be a risk factor in the development and maintenance of an adolescent's behavior. This study aimed at determining the relationship between family functioning domains, adaptability, and cohesion with five domains of self-concept. The study employed survey research involving the administration of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES III) and the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS). A total of 30 male adolescents who participated in a youth development program were involved in this study. Results from correlation and multiple regression analyse indicated positive relationships between domains of family functioning and five domains of self-concept. It was suggested that treatment for family therapy should focus on self-concept and family functioning in an integrative fashion rather than as separate loci. Positive family environment, effective parenting practices, and rebuilding adolescents' self-concept should be incorporated in family-based intervention.
Inferred successor maps for better transfer learning

Humans and animals show remarkable flexibility in adjusting their behaviour when their goals, or rewards in the environment change. While such flexibility is a hallmark of intelligent behaviour, these multi-task scenarios remain an important challenge for machine learning algorithms and neurobiological models alike. Factored representations can enable flexible behaviour by abstracting away general aspects of a task from those prone to change, while nonparametric methods provide a principled way of using similarity to past experiences to guide current behaviour. Here we combine the successor representation (SR), that factors the value of actions into expected outcomes and corresponding rewards, with evaluating task similarity through nonparametric inference and clustering the space of rewards. The proposed algorithm improves SR's transfer capabilities by inverting a generative model over tasks, while also explaining important neurobiological signatures of place cell representation in the hippocampus. It dynamically samples from a flexible number of distinct SR maps while accumulating evidence about the current reward context, and outperforms competing algorithms in settings with both known and unsignalled rewards changes. It reproduces the "flickering" behaviour of hippocampal maps seen when rodents navigate to changing reward locations, and gives a quantitative account of trajectory-dependent hippocampal representations (so-called splitter cells) and their dynamics. We thus provide a novel algorithmic approach for multi-task learning, as well as a common normative framework that links together these different characteristics of the brain's spatial representation.
Laboratory-Based and Industrial-Oriented Course in Mehatronics

The broad educational issue in mechatronic course is how to achieve the optimum balance between narrowly defined problems with clearly defined solution and open ended problems that can have a multiple, even non-viable solutions. In the context of a mechatronic course, question has to be addressed on what technology to use, what support, instructors and teaching resources to provide, what tasks to set, how to evaluate a student performance and how engage students to create an exciting and active learning environment. In this paper mechatronic laboratory with industrial electromechanical (crane) models are used together with lectures and tutorials providing a broad and stimulating learning experience for the students. The laboratory concept is based on the different type of the PC based electromechanical models for simulation and software development as well as for real time control.
Application of GC/Time-of-Flight-MS for halocarbon trace gas analysis and comparison with GC/Quadrupole-MS

We present the application of Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (TOF MS) for the analysis of halocarbons in the atmosphere, after cryogenic sample preconcentration and gas chromatographic separation. For the described field of application, the Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QP MS) is the state-of-the-art detector. This work aims at comparing two commercially available instruments, a QP MS and a TOF MS with respect to mass resolution, mass accuracy, sensitivity, measurement precision and detector linearity. Both mass spectrometers are operated on the same gas chromatographic system by splitting the column effluent to both detectors. The QP MS had to be operated in optimised Single Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode to achieve a sensitivity which could compete with the TOF MS. The TOF MS provided full mass range information in any acquired mass spectrum without losing sensitivity. Whilst the QP MS showed the performance already achieved in earlier tests, the sensitivity of the TOF MS was on average higher than that of the QP MS in the "operational" SIM mode by a factor of up to 3 reaching detection limits of less than 0.2 pg. Measurement precision determined for the whole analytical system was up to 0.2% depending on substance and sampled volume. The TOF MS instrument used for this study displayed significant non-linearities of up to 10% for two third of all analysed substances.
Effect of distant encounters on black hole binaries in globular clusters: Systematic increase of in-cluster mergers in the LISA band

We present the first systematic study on how distant weak interactions impact the dynamical evolution of merging binary black holes (BBHs) in dense stellar clusters. Recent studies indicate that dense clusters are likely to significantly contribute to the rate of merging BBHs observable through gravitational waves (GWs), and that many of these mergers will appear with notable eccentricities measurable in the LISA and LIGO sensitivity bands. This is highly interesting, as eccentricity can be used to distinguish between different astrophysical merger channels. However, all of these recent studies are based on various Monte Carlo (MC) techniques that only include strong interactions for the dynamical evolution of BBHs, whereas any binary generally undergoes orders-of-magnitude more weak interactions than strong. It is well known that weak interactions primarily lead to a change in the binary's eccentricity, which for BBHs implies that weak interactions can change their GW inspiral time and thereby their merger probability. With this motivation, we perform MC simulations of BBHs evolving in dense clusters under the influence of both weak and strong interactions. We find that including weak interactions leads to a notable increase in the number of BBHs that merge inside their cluster, which correspondingly leads to a higher number of eccentric LISA sources. These preliminary results illustrate the importance of including weak interactions for accurately modeling how BBHs merge in clusters, and how to link their emitted GW signals to their astrophysical environment.
CRITERIA AND METHODS FOR EVALUATING INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLANS AND OPERATIONAL TESTS

An evaluation process for the preparation of intelligent transportation system (ITS) plans that is sensitive to the differences between ITS and conventional transportation improvements is described. A relatively complete set of evaluation criteria for ITS improvements is presented that is structured to clarify the confusion between the supply and demand impacts of ITS. This separation between "efficiency" and "output" measures means that it is possible to distinguish between ITS technology efficiency benefits and the individual and corporate demand responses to ITS that actually increase output (benefits) over those produced by the technology alone. The proposed criteria structure also incorporates the time scale of the impacts. This highlights certain fundamental correlations between the criteria that can lead to double counting of benefits and to highly correlated outcomes, which are not helpful in choosing between alternatives. The criteria structure facilitates selection by decision makers of greatly reduced criteria sets to simplify ITS evaluations. By recognizing the separate supply (efficiency) and demand (increased output) impacts of ITS, it is also possible to avoid dramatically underestimating the benefits of the new technology and to avoid serious mistakes in assessing the safety, environmental, and energy impacts of ITS alternatives. Default values to evaluate ITS improvements for inclusion in transportation system plans are provided. The criteria and default values highlight where research and operational tests can provide improved values and information that will most quickly advance the state of the art of ITS evaluation.
OUTSOURCING OF PUBLIC SERVICE PROVISION: WHEN IS IT MORE EFFICIENT?

We set up a model of public service provision to study the factors determining whether outsourcing to for-profit and not-for-profit producers of social services will enable a local government to achieve a given service quality at lower budgetary cost. Outsourcing provides an incentive for producers to lower quality in order to reduce costs. The cost reductions per se tend to be efficiency-improving, but to prevent a deterioration of service quality policy makers must spend more resources on monitoring quality. Moreover, the greater effort exerted under private service provision will have to be compensated by higher factor rewards. Hence public in-house provision may be more cost-efficient than outsourcing. This is particularly likely to be the case when the quality of the service is difficult to measure so that marginal monitoring costs are high. The paper shows that these results emerge both when politicians are benevolent and when they distribute rents in exchange for political support. We also show that risk aversion and uncertainty about the potential for cost savings implies a bias against outsourcing.
Wormhole geometries in modified teleparallel gravity and the energy conditions

In this work, we explore the possibility that static and spherically symmetric traversable wormhole geometries are supported by modified teleparallel gravity or fðTÞ gravity, where T is the torsion scalar. Considering the field equations with an off-diagonal tetrad, a plethora of asymptotically flat exact solutions are found, which satisfy the weak and the null energy conditions at the throat and its vicinity. More specifically, considering T � 0, we find the general conditions for a wormhole satisfying the energy conditions at the throat and present specific examples that satisfy the energy conditions throughout the spacetime. As a consistency check, we also verify that in the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity, i.e., fðT Þ¼ T, one regains the standard general relativistic field equations for wormhole physics. Furthermore, considering specific choices for the fðTÞ form and for the redshift and shape functions, several solutions of wormhole geometries are found that satisfy the energy conditions at the throat and its neighborhood. As in their general relativistic counterparts, these fðTÞ wormhole geometries present farreaching physical and cosmological implications, such as being theoretically useful as shortcuts in spacetime and for inducing closed timelike curves, possibly violating causality.
A MODEL OF INTEREST IN STEM CAREERS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Studies have shown that various factors (the role of formal education, informal education, and community) contribute to the lack of participation in STEM and STEM careers. This research aimed to understand the multi pathways of factors contributing to the interest in STEM careers (STEM careers in physical sciences and STEM careers in life sciences). This research was a survey research which administered a questionnaire randomly to 1485 secondary school students (14 years of age). Data analysis was based on the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) to test the hypothesized model. A model containing five constructs, namely environmental factors (learning experiences, media, social influences), self-efficacy in science, technology, engineering and mathematics respectively, perceptions of STEM careers and interest in physical sciences and life sciences STEM careers was proposed in this research. The results show that students’ interest in life sciences based careers is influence by their self-efficacy and perceptions of the career. Meanwhile, students’ interest in physical sciences based careers is influence only by their self-efficacy and not influence by their perceptions of the career. The need to improve students’ self-efficacy through STEM learning experiences is imperative to ensure continued interest in STEM careers. Key words: environmental factors, life sciences STEM careers, perceptions of STEM careers, physical sciences STEM careers, self-efficacy, social cognitive career theory.
An Investigation of Flow Regimes Affecting the Mexico City Region

Abstract The Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) is used to investigate the detailed mesoscale flow structure over the Mexico City region for a 3-day period in February 1991. The model simulation is compared with rawinsonde and tethersonde profile data and measurements from two surface stations in the southwestern part of Mexico City. The model results show that downward momentum transfer from aloft increases southerly winds near the surface on the first case day, effectively sweeping pollution from the basin surrounding Mexico City. Thermally driven circulations within the basin, in adjacent valleys, and over the slope of the Mexican Plateau strongly influence winds within the Mexico City basin on the second case day. These wind systems produce a complex interaction of flows, culminating in the propagation of a 1-km-deep density current circulation through Mexico City that displaces the polluted basin air mass aloft. Regional northeasterly flows develop early in the morning of the third case day .
Term Structure Forecasting of Government Bond Yields with Latent and Macroeconomic Factors: Do Macroeconomic Factors Imply Better Out‐of‐Sample Forecasts?

This study examines the role of macroeconomic and stock market variables in the dynamic Nelson-Siegel framework with the purpose of fitting and forecasting the term structure of interest rate. We find that incorporating the macroeconomic indicators in yield curve model leads to a better in-sample fit of the term structure. The out-of-sample predictability also improves significantly for all maturities for the short horizon forecasts, however regarding the longer horizons forecasts, the forecast performance of yields-macro and yields-only models is same for maturities beyond 5 years. The one-step state-space estimation approach employed to the yields-macro model produces accurate forecasts and outperforms the results of earlier related studies. Especially, the autocorrelation of the forecasts errors and in-sample residuals persistency across maturities, which is a common phenomenon in the statistical class of term structure models, can be reduced to a greater extent by inclusion of macroeconomic factors in the yield model.
Social work practice with Arab Muslim women living in Western societies

This article discusses how practice teachers and others involved in social work education can enhance the quality of services being provided to Arab Muslim women living in Western societies. It draws upon the relevant literature, as well as the results of a small-scale survey by the lead author of Arab Muslim women living in the United States. The authors argue that social work learning cannot be separated from the influence of culture, which sometimes includes religious beliefs and practices.
Radiative decays of 
hc
 to the light mesons 
η(′)
: A perturbative QCD calculation

We study the radiative decays $h_{c}\rightarrow\gamma\eta^{(\prime)}$ in the framework of perturbative QCD and evaluate analytically the one-loop integrals with the light quark masses kept. Interestingly, the branching ratios $\mathcal{B}(h_{c}\rightarrow\gamma\eta^{(\prime)})$ are insensitive to both the light quark masses and the shapes of $\eta^{(\prime)}$ distribution amplitudes. And it is noticed that the contribution of the gluonic content of $\eta^{(\prime)}$ is almost equal to that of the quark-antiquark content of $\eta^{(\prime)}$ in the radiative decays $h_{c} \rightarrow \gamma\eta^{(\prime)}$. By employing the ratio $R_{h_{c}}=\mathcal{B}(h_{c}\rightarrow\gamma\eta)/\mathcal{B}(h_{c}\rightarrow\gamma\eta^{\prime})$, we extract the mixing angle $\phi=33.8^{\circ}\pm2.5^{\circ}$, which is in clear disagreement with the Feldmann-Kroll-Stech result $\phi=39.0^{\circ}\pm1.6^{\circ}$ extracted from the ratio $R_{J/\psi}$ with nonperturbative matrix elements $\langle 0\mid G^{a}_{\mu\nu}\tilde{G}^{a,\mu\nu}\mid\eta^{(\prime)}\rangle$, but in consistent with $\phi=33.5^{\circ}\pm0.9^{\circ}$ extracted from the asymptotic limit of the $\gamma^{\ast}\gamma-\eta^{\prime}$ transition form factor and $\phi=33.9^{\circ}\pm0.6^{\circ}$ extracted from $R_{J/\psi}$ in perturbative QCD. We also briefly discuss possible reasons for the difference in the determinations of the mixing angle.
Application of ICA in Watermarking

Data embedding in an image may be carried out in different domains, including spatial and transform domains. Early image watermarking schemes operated directly in spatial domain, which were mostly associated with poor robustness properties. Accordingly, different transform domains have been studied in the last decade to improve the efficiency and the robustness of watermarking methods (Bounkong et al., 2003; Cox et al., 1997; Langelaar et al., 1997; M.Wang et al., 1998). One of the most effective transform in this area is ICA transform.
A novel task-oriented brain computer interface for human-robot interaction

Since the advent of the technology age, new and innovative ways to communicate with and control machines have been gaining momentum over traditional forms of input. The rise of touch, gesture and speech based control high- light the desire for more natural human com- puter interactions. A Brain-Computer Inter- face (BCI) is an extension of these interaction methods; allowing a user's brain activity to be interpreted as an input into a computer system. In this paper, a successful and novel implemen- tation for controlling a robotic arm using a P- 300 Speller interface is presented, with partic- ular focus on solving high order problems with task speci c commands. The system was val- idated through a packing experiment, where a participant needed to pick and place scattered objects into a container. Initial results show successful completion of the task within four minutes, with a command selection accuracy of approximately 97%.