Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identifying Vehicle and Collision Impact by Applying the Principle of Conservation of Mechanical Energy

Abstract Various methodologies and tools applied to identification of vehicle and collision impact seek to present more and more accurate solutions to reproduce, restore, recreate and investigate the casualty. Modern computer technology and software provide the tools to solve specific problems developing mathematical modelling of complex mechanical systems involving vehicles and other objects in a road accident. Scientists generally utilize the Standard Test Method for Impact Testing calculating the energy of deformation of both vehicles, however, one of its limitations is the evaluation of the kinetic energy of the vehicles in post-collision taking into consideration vehicle rotation and linear displacement. To improve the analysis, dynamic traffic simulation is used, taking into account the variations in the coefficient of friction, suspension elasticity and damping. The proposed method is based on a system of two equations derived from two principles: the Principle of Conservation of Mechanical Energy and the Principle of Conservation of Momentum in the impact phase. The new approach is conducted on mathematical modelling and computer simulation of vehicle motion after the impact, wherefrom the linear and angular velocities are analysed. This is achieved by the numerical solution of the differential equations of motion of the cars after the impact, and the given initial conditions that satisfy the solution are used to solve the system of equations. The main findings of the study can be grouped as follows: 1) The positions of the vehicles prior to the moment of first impact and the post-impact orientation of velocity vectors are more precise. 2) The variability of the tire-road friction coefficient is taken into consideration. 3) The value of coefficient of restitution according to Newton’s theory of impact is unnecessarily determined.
Five Years of Phase Space Dynamics of the Standard & Poor’s 500

Abstract Inhomogeneous density of states in a discrete model of Standard & Poor’s 500 phase space leads to inequitable predictability of market events. Most frequent events might be efficiently predicted in the long run as expected from Mean reversion theory. Stocks have different mobility in phase space. Highly mobile stocks are associated with less unsystematic risk. Less mobile stocks might be cast into disfavor almost indefinitely. Relations between information components in Standard & Poor’s 500 phase space resemble of those in unfair coin tossing.
Stability analysis for networked control systems based on average dwell time method

This paper studies the problem of the exponential stability of networked control systems (NCSs) with large delay periods, which often appear in the transmission of NCSs. Some new concepts about large delay periods are introduced, and a method based on switching is employed. The maximum allowable transfer interval is obtained such that the considered system is exponentially stable. The criteria obtained contain existing results without considering a large delay period as a special case. An example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed criteria. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Leveraging Time-Varying Covariates to Test Within- and Between-Person Effects and Interactions in the Multilevel Linear Model

Multilevel linear modeling (MLM) is a powerful and well-defined tool often used to evaluate time-varying associations between two or more variables measured in longitudinal studies. Such variables carry information about stable, between-person differences as well as information about within-person variability. For emerging adults, this variability figures prominently across a variety of developmental domains. A single variable measured on repeated occasions can be easily summarized into two new variables that represent the unique within- and between-person sources of information contained in the original variable. Well-known procedures for statistically disaggregating time-varying predictors in an MLM are straightforward but often not accessible to a nontechnical readership. Using SAS syntax, this tutorial provides step-by-step instructions to recode a single repeated-measures variable into separate between- and within-person predictor variables. Strategies are suggested for testing and interpreting main effects and interactions in the MLM, drawing on a daily diary example of first-year, first-time college-attending emerging adults.
Nonlinguistic Factors that Affect the Degree of Foreign Accent in Second Language Mandarin

Abstract Previous research findings have established that a number of nonlinguistic factors can influence the strength of perceived foreign accent in second language (L2) speech. However, the majority of past studies have predominantly considered foreign accent of Indo-European languages, notably English. Therefore, it remains unknown whether the same factors influence foreign accent in other languages, such as Mandarin. This article reports findings from a study on nonlinguistic factors affecting the degree of foreign accent in Mandarin as an L2. Seventy L2 learners of Mandarin Chinese recorded speech samples and completed language background questionnaires. Speech samples were rated by 15 native Mandarin speakers for the degree of foreign accent on a 9-point Likert scale. Stepwise multiple regression analysis resulted in a 3-predictor model of pronunciation accuracy: self-rating of foreign accent, Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì (HSK) proficiency level, and motivational reasons. Results suggest that (1) foreign accent in L2 Mandarin may not be affected by the same factors as in previous L2 accent studies and (2) the concepts of accentedness and comprehensibility may be more intricately linked in lexical tone languages such as Mandarin, in comparison to nontonal languages. These findings have wider implications for the field of L2 acquisition, which is dominated by studies of L2 English.
Measuring Trust in Medical Researchers: Adding Insights from Cognitive Interviews to Examine Agree-Disagree and Construct-Specific Survey Questions

Abstract While scales measuring subjective constructs historically rely on agree-disagree (AD) questions, recent research demonstrates that construct-specific (CS) questions clarify underlying response dimensions that AD questions leave implicit and CS questions often yield higher measures of data quality. Given acknowledged issues with AD questions and certain established advantages of CS items, the evidence for the superiority of CS questions is more mixed than one might expect. We build on previous investigations by using cognitive interviewing to deepen understanding of AD and CS response processing and potential sources of measurement error. We randomized 64 participants to receive an AD or CS version of a scale measuring trust in medical researchers. We examine several indicators of data quality and cognitive response processing including: reliability, concurrent validity, recency, response latencies, and indicators of response processing difficulties (e.g., uncodable answers). Overall, results indicate reliability is higher for the AD scale, neither scale is more valid, and the CS scale is more susceptible to recency effects for certain questions. Results for response latencies and behavioral indicators provide evidence that the CS questions promote deeper processing. Qualitative analysis reveals five sources of difficulties with response processing that shed light on under-examined reasons why AD and CS questions can produce different results, with CS not always yielding higher measures of data quality than AD.
Clustering Companies Listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange According to Time-Varying Beta

Abstract The beta parameter is a popular tool for the evaluation of portfolio performance. The Sharpe single-index model is a simple regression model in which the stock’s returns are regressed against the returns of a broader index. The beta parameter is a measure of the strength of this relation. Extensive recent research has proved that the beta is not constant in time and should be modelled as a time-variant coefficient. One of the most popular methods of the estimation of a time-varying beta is the Kalman filter. As the output of the Kalman filter, one obtains a sequence of the estimates of a time-varying beta. This sequence shows the historical dynamics of sensitivity of a company’s returns to the variations of market returns. The article proposes a method of clustering companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange according to time-varying betas.
Autonomy, Collaboration and Competition: The Impact of Education Management Reforms which Aim to Increase School Autonomy on Relations between Schools

Abstract In recent decades, the neoliberal education policy has been implemented in many countries, by reducing the state’s role in education management. Lithuania is one of the countries which after the restoration of Independence in 1991 and collapse of the Soviet Union has decentralized its education management system by giving more autonomy to schools and local authorities. Education-management reforms, which have already been implemented or are currently being implemented in response to social, economic and political changes in the country, have an impact on relationships between schools. Purpose: This article reports the findings of a study which reviewed education management reforms aimed at increasing school autonomy and their impact on inter-school collaboration and competition. Research Method: This study employs a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews. Twenty-four elementary and secondary school principals from different regions of Lithuania were interviewed. Findings: The results reveal that a significant influence on relations between schools comes from government decisions which relate to school autonomy, school choice, allocation of funds, school ranking, and the like. Implications: This study generates discussions on the impact of the education management reforms which aim to enhance school autonomy on inter-school relationships. In order to answer that question, a theoretical model of research was developed, including the theoretical basis of school autonomy, collaboration and competition, as well as the characteristics of Lithuanian education governance.
Computer-access authentication with neural network based keystroke identity verification

This paper presents a novel application of neural nets to user identity authentication on computer-access security system. Keystroke latency is measured for each user and forms the patterns of keyboard dynamics. A three-layered backpropagation neural network with a flexible number of input nodes was used to discriminate valid users and impostors according to each individual's password keystroke pattern. System verification performance was improved by setting convergence criteria RMSE to a smaller threshold value during training procedure. The resulting system gave an 1.1% FAR (false alarm rate) in rejecting valid users and zero IPR (impostor pass rate) in accepting no impostors. The performance of the proposed identification method is superior to that of previous studies. A suitable network structure for this application was also discussed. Furthermore, the implementation of this approach requires no special hardware and is easy to be integrated with most computer systems.
Evaluation of Systemic Inflammation Parameters in Dogs with Periodontitis

Abstract Periodontal diseases are the most common diseases in veterinary medicine. The first clinical finding is chewing difficulty, saliva flow and bad oral odor. It further develops into plaque and tartar formation, gingival inflammation and hemorrhagic appearance of the gingiva, periodontal pockets formation, alveolar bone resorption and tooth loss. In this study an evaluation has been made to determine which degree reflects on the parameters of systemic inflammatory reaction with special attention to IL-6 (Interleukine-6), CRP (C-reactive protein), osteopontin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Ig (Immunglobulins = Total protein – Albumin) and hematological parameters in dogs with periodontitis. Two groups have been defined in this study. The first group included 10 healthy and owned dogs as a control group. The second group consisted of 10 owned dogs with moderate-severe periodontitis. The difference between monocyte (p <0.001) and neutrophil (p <0.05) counts was found to be significant. In addition, the difference between SOD, MDA, glutathione peroxidase, CRP, IL-6 measurements in group 1 and group 2 was significant. (p <0.001). The level of osteopontin in moderate-severe periodontitis cases was found significantly higher than the level measured in the healthy group. Measured values in the moderate-severe periodontitis cases are higher than the healthy group in terms of CRP, IL-6, and osteopontin levels. Increasing severity of periodontitis was associated with changes in oxidative stress parameters: increased MDA, decreased SOD and glutathione peroxidase levels. These differences provide important information about the evaluation of the cellular responses. There is a need for continued research into the systemic impact of periodontal disease.
The Evolution of Morality Policy Debate: Moralization and Demoralization

Abstract Scholars of morality policy have built an extensive literature surrounding these issues, which often are associated with unusual political behavior. Early studies aimed at explaining this behavior but avoided defining a “morality policy” explicitly, typically by focusing on issues that appeared obviously to pertain to morality, like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Drawing on the existing morality policy scholarship and classic theories of public policy, we argue that no public policy is inherently moral. Rather, policies may be “moralized” or “demoralized” over time, not due to any intrinsic characteristic, but because the prominent policy frames in their debate have changed. Public opinion and its proxies, along with certain exogenous shocks, may be important in determining when a morality frame will be more prevalent. Because the distinctiveness of morality policy lies in the discourse surrounding it, scholars should examine the behavior and attitudes of relevant advocates in these debates, rather than relying on aggregate data and making assumptions about intrinsic policy characteristics.
Epiphytic bacterial community composition on the surface of the submerged macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum in a low-salinity sea area of Hangzhou Bay

Abstract In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the abundance and diversity of bacteria on the surface of the submerged macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum, as well as in the surrounding water column and sediment in the low-salinity area of Hangzhou Bay, China. Bacterial clones from three clone libraries were classified into 2089 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), most of which affiliated with bacterial divisions commonly found in marine ecosystems. Alphaproteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were the most abundant groups of bacteria on the surface of plants, in the water column and sediment, respectively. Epiphytic bacterial communities were more closely related to those in the sediment than bacterioplankton, and some species of epiphytic bacteria were found only on the surface of M. spicatum. The relative abundance of epiphytic bacterial genera associated with breakdown of organic compounds and with cellulose digestion was higher in October than that in July. These results suggested that bacterial communities on the surface of M. spicatum may originate from sediment bacterial communities and their specific structure was gradually formed on the surface of M. spicatum after being cultivated in low-salinity seawater.
Accelerated Aging of WPCs Based on Polypropylene and Plywood Production Residues

Abstract A lot of researchers are closely connected with natural, lignocellulose fibre containing bio-composites producing and studies. Various of polymer matrices, mainly polyolefins, combinations with natural fibres as a reinforcement are used. Our studies are focused on polypropylene based bio-composites containing birch plywood production by-product sanding dust (PSD) accelerated weathering processes. The nine groups of the samples with different composition were exposed in an accelerated weathering chamber for a total duration of the 1032 h. The surface colour, gloss, whiteness degree, micro-hardness and the tensile properties of the samples during the weathering were tested. In addition, the weathered surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies and by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) investigations. The obtained results showed the following sight: after the weathering the surface of all samples is faded, also the changes of the gloss and of the whiteness degree occurs, but microhardness of the surface of specimens has decreased. The tensile strength of the samples changes a little, in the same time the tensile modulus increases significantly due to the decrease of the deformation ability of the polypropylene matrix and recrystallization processes in PP. The SEM images taken at the 100 and 500 times of the magnification revealed a lot of the different shape and sizes cracks on the surface of the weathered samples. DSC measurements showed the increase of the degree of crystallinity of the polypropylene after the weathering due to the recrystallization process in the polypropylene matrix.
Does a Country/Region’s Economic Status Affect Its Universities’ Presence in International Rankings?

Abstract Purpose Study how economic parameters affect positions in the Academic Ranking of World Universities’ top 500 published by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Graduate School of Education in countries/regions with listed higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach The methodology used capitalises on the multi-variate characteristics of the data analysed. The multi-colinearity problem posed is solved by running principal components prior to regression analysis, using both classical (OLS) and robust (Huber and Tukey) methods. Findings Our results revealed that countries/regions with long ranking traditions are highly competitive. Findings also showed that some countries/regions such as Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy, had a larger number of universities in the top positions than predicted by the regression model. In contrast, for Japan, a country where social and economic performance is high, the number of ARWU universities projected by the model was much larger than the actual figure. In much the same vein, countries/regions that invest heavily in education, such as Japan and Denmark, had lower than expected results. Research limitations Using data from only one ranking is a limitation of this study, but the methodology used could be useful to other global rankings. Practical implications The results provide good insights for policy makers. They indicate the existence of a relationship between research output and the number of universities per million inhabitants. Countries/regions, which have historically prioritised higher education, exhibited highest values for indicators that compose the rankings methodology; furthermore, minimum increase in welfare indicators could exhibited significant rises in the presence of their universities on the rankings. Originality/value This study is well defined and the result answers important questions about characteristics of countries/regions and their higher education system.
Palaeofacies and biomarker characteristics of Paleogene to Neogene rocks in the Makassar Straits, Indonesia

Abstract Borehole K-1 is an exploratory well that was drilled in the North Makassar Basin (West Sulawesi) in 2011. Gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass chromatography (GC-MS) analyses have been conducted on extracts from well cuttings from the Paleogene to Neogene interval in order to investigate the characteristics of biomarkers present. Although the well was drilled with oil-based mud and gas chromatographic analysis reveals that the alkane fractions are heavily contaminated, detailed investigation of biomarkers in these rock extracts and comparison with biomarkers in the oil-based mud has revealed that, while there are hopane and sterane biomarkers in the mud, there are also a discrete set of biomarkers that are indigenous to the rocks. These include oleanane, bicadinanes, taraxastane and other higher-plant-derived triterpanes. The presence of these compounds in environments that range from bathyal to marginal marine and even to lacustrine, shows the extent of reworking of terrestrial material into aquatic settings in this region during the Paleogene and Neogene and provides further evidence of a predominance of terrestrial material, even in deep-marine settings, with little ‘in-situ’ material noted. These findings have important implications for the use of biomarkers as indicators of palaeoenvironment in both source rocks and oils.
Inequality in Posting Behaviour Over Time: A study of Danish Facebook users

Abstract This study investigates the Facebook posting behaviour of 922 posting users over a time span of seven years (from 2007 to 2014), using an innovative combination of survey data and private profile feed post counts obtained through the Facebook Application Programming Interface (API) prior to the changes in 2015. A digital inequality lens is applied to study the effect of socio-demographic characteristics as well as time on posting behaviour. The findings indicate differences, for example in terms of gender and age, but some of this inequality is becoming smaller over time. The data set also shows inequality in the poster ratio in different age groups. Across all the demographic groups, the results show an increase in posting frequency in the time period observed, and limited evidence is found that young age groups have posted less on Facebook in more recent years.