Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Social Robot for Sustaining Social Engagement during Long-Term Children–Robot Interaction

ABSTRACT One of the known challenges in Children–Robot Interaction (cHRI) is to sustain children’s engagement during long-term interactions with robots. Researchers have hypothesized that robots that can adapt to children’s affective states and can also learn from the environment can result in sustaining engagement during cHRI. Recently, researchers have conducted a range of studies where robots portray different social capabilities and have shown that it has positively influenced children’s engagement. However, despite an immense body of research on implementation of different adaptive social robots, a pivotal question remains unanswered: Which adaptations portrayed by a robot can result in maintaining long-term social engagement during cHRI? In other words, what are the appropriate and effective adaptations portrayed by a robot that will sustain social engagement for an extended number of interactions? In this article, we report on a study conducted with three groups of children who played a snakes and ladders game with the NAO robot to address the aforementioned question. The NAO performed 1) game-based adaptations, 2) emotion-based adaptations, and 3) memory-based adaptation. Our results showed that emotion-based adaptations were found out to be most effective, followed by memory-based adaptations. Game adaptation didn’t result in sustaining long-term social engagement.
Peripheral facial palsy : Grading, Etiology, and Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome

Abbreviations Introduction Review of the literature Peripheral facial palsy Grading facial function Acute idiopathic peripheral facial palsy–Bell’s palsy. Human herpesvirus-6 and -7 Treatment of Bell’s palsy Prognosis of Bell’s palsy Peripheral facial palsy in children Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome Aims of the study Subjects and methods Results Discussion Grading Etiology Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome Conclusions Acknowledgments References Appendix Original publications 4
Online Appointment Reservation and Scheduling for Healthcare- A Detailed Study

Appointment reservation and scheduling systems in healthcare are used to maintain and manage the access to service providers which are the hospitals. In many aspects it might affect the administration of appointment scheduling systems which includes the arrival time and consultation time variance, doctor preferences, dates and other information relating to the technology and the maturity level of the administration staff. Hence an appropriate scheduling and reservation system has to be developed by considering necessary factors and features which will elevate the patient hope and satisfaction, which in turn increases the profit margin. An online reservation and scheduling system will allow individuals to securely and safely make their appointment reservations online. Comparing to the existing scheduling methods, the web-based appointment and reservation system could powerfully escalate patients' satisfaction with initial registration and reduced waiting time. This paper majorly focuses on analytical study of online appointment reservation and scheduling system with its architecture and benefits.
Early Otitis Media and Phonological Development at Age 2 Years

The effect of early otitis media on phonology and articulation in the presence of expressive language delay was investigated in 16 2‐year‐olds followed prospectively from birth. Eight of the children were designated otitis‐positive and 8 were considered otitis‐negative as determined by bilateral pneumatic otoscopy outcomes during year 1 of life. The groups differed significantly on measures of expressive, not receptive, language development. All members of the otitis‐positive group were expressive language delayed. Phonological analyses were completed on spoken language samples elicited from each child at age 24 months. Results showed similar developmental tendencies in speech sound acquisition between the groups, but the otitis‐positive group had established significantly fewer initial consonant phones and produced them less accurately than the otitis‐negative subject group. The otitis‐positive group acquired significantly fewer consonants with back place of articulation. Similar phonological error patterns of deletion and phoneme class deficiency were used by the groups, but the otitis‐positive group used the error patterns more frequently. Findings here lend support to the otitis media effect as one of interaction among risk factors.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of whole cells and isolated cell walls of gram-positive bacteria: comparison with biochemical analysis

The surface chemical composition of whole cells and isolated cell walls of four coryneform bacteria and of a Bacillus brevis strain has been determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS data were converted into concentrations of model compounds: peptides, polysaccharides, and hydrocarbonlike compounds. The composition of the surface of B. brevis differed markedly from that of coryneforms: the peptide concentration was about twice higher in the former case, which is attributed to the presence of an S-layer at the cell surface; in contrast, the surface of coryneforms was rich in hydrocarbonlike compounds (about 40%), which was concomitant with a high water contact angle. The peptide surface concentration of the isolated cell walls of the five strains deduced from XPS data fitted well with the total peptide content determined by biochemical analysis, which supports the validity of XPS to determine the overall macromolecular composition of the bacterial cell surface. Compared to biochemical analysis of isolated cell walls, XPS analysis of whole cells provides information which concerns directly the cell surface (2- to 5-nm-thick layer) and is less subject to alteration via losses of cell wall constituents or contamination by intracellular compounds.
Weak Regulation of Many Targets Is Cumulatively Powerful—An Evolutionary Perspective on microRNA Functionality

Why do microRNAs (miRNAs) weakly repress so many targets such that most targets do not have phenotypic effects? An increasingly accepted view posits that weak targeting has no biological function and each miRNA effectively has only a few functional targets. Here, we review the evolutionary arguments for this postulate and find these arguments seriously flawed. In contrast, from the systems perspective, the power of broad and weak targeting may reside in the cumulative effects of all repressions, which collectively stabilize gene regulatory networks. This view predicts that miRNAs would show little tendency to downsize their target pools. A survey of "twin-miRs" production indeed validates this prediction.
Cyber Security Capacity Building in Developing Countries

Introduction Cyberspace is growing at a speed unprecedented by any other commodity. Almost three billion people are now connected in cyberspace through the Internet; a figure growing rapidly and estimated to reach five billion people, using 50 billion devices, by 2020. As most of this growth will take place in emerging economies, it is not surprising that the development community is pondering how to leverage the benefits accruing from the use of cyberspace and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) through cyber-capacity building (CCB). 2 This exercise will however be futile if not backed up by a serious discussion about the need to address the challenges posed by the proliferation of ICT infrastructure and Internet applications for sustainable development.
Quantifying the land footprint of Germany and the EU using a hybrid accounting model

Footprint analysis reveals the appropriation of land resources from a consumer’s perspective. We here present a novel hybrid land-flow accounting method for the calculation of land footprints, employing a globally consistent top-down approach and combining physical with environmental economic accounting. Physical accounting tracks food products from ‘field to plate’ and non-food from ‘field to industrial use’ using the large harmonized FAO data to track biomass flows and related land use in physical volumes (tons of biomass). Environmental-economic accounting is used to further track non-food commodities in monetary values to final consumption. The hybrid methodology has been applied annually between 1995 and 2010 for 21 regional markets globally and including major economies separately (e.g. USA, China, India). Per capita extents and composition of cropland footprints vary widely across the world. Detailed results for Germany and the EU28 highlight the higher land demand of livestock-based diets compared to crop-based diets, the growing integration in international markets, and the growing importance of the non-food sector since 2000. Today the land footprint of each Germany citizen appropriates on average 2693 m2 cropland (about one half for livestock-based diets, one quarter for crop-based diets and one quarter for non-food products). Additional 1655 m2 of grassland per capita are used for the consumption of ruminant livestock products. Germany is a major and increasing trading partner with current net ‘cropland imports’ of 10.6 Mha. Overall, half of Germany’s 22 Mha cropland footprint relies on domestic cultivation and half on land resources abroad. Albeit large uncertainties in the calculation of grassland footprints, results point towards Germany being a significant net importer of grassland embedded in ruminant livestock products.
Can Urinary Gamma Glutamyl Transferase be Used as a Bone Resorption Marker in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Objectives: To evaluate whether g-glutamyl transferase can be used as a new novel bone resorption marker in postmenopusal osteoporotic subjects. Design and methods: 156 postmenopausal subjects were divided into three groups according to their lumbar spine T-score measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry as normal, (control group, n=56), osteopenic (n=50) and osteoporotic (n=50). Deoxypyridinoline and g-glutamyl transferase from urine samples and osteocalcin and bone specific alkaline phosphates from blood samples were assessed. Results: Osteocalcin and bone specific alkaline phosphates levels were increased in osteoporotic group (p 0.05). No significant correlation was found between urinary g-glutamyl transferase and deoxypyridinoline, bone specific alkaline phosphates and osteocalcin (p>0.05). Urinary g-glutamyl transferase levels showed no significant correlation with neither bone mineral density nor T scores in all subjects (r= 0.058 p= 0.625, r=-0.074 p=0.533 respectively). Conclusions: Our primary findings did not support the suggestion that urinary g-glutamyl transferase could be used as a potential marker for bone resorption in postmenopusal osteoporotic subjects.
Effects of hot water extraction in a batch reactor on the delignification of birch wood

The amount of residual lignin in birch wood after a hot water extraction in a batch reactor was investigated as a function of extraction temperature and time. A kinetic model fitting the experimental data was then developed to explain delignification of wood during a hot water treatment. Results showed that delignification kinetics involves simultaneous degradation and condensation reactions, with degradation of lignin being much faster than its condensation. Native lignin in wood was successfully modeled as the sum of two fractions with different degradation rates. The rates of degradation and condensation increased along with increasing extraction temperature. The proportion of acid-soluble lignin to acid-insoluble (Klason) lignin in the wood residue decreased with increasing extraction temperature and time, probably due to chemical and structural changes in the lignin during the hot water treatment. Condensed lignin was predominantly determined as Klason lignin. On the other hand, the amount of soluble lignin in the extraction liquor increased slightly with temperature, but remained mostly constant after any extraction time. An insoluble fraction in the liquor that originated from precipitated lignin fragments is believed to contain traces of degradation products from carbohydrates or other degradation compounds.
The potential role of vitamin D in the link between obesity and asthma severity/control in children

Childhood obesity and asthma are major public health problems. Obesity is not only associated with increased risk of incident asthma, but it may worsen asthma severity/control. Although the mechanisms linking obesity with asthma expression have not been completely elucidated, evidence suggests that increased frequency of acute respiratory infection (ARI) and decreased corticosteroid responsiveness may help to explain how obesity worsens asthma expression. In addition, obese individuals have low vitamin D status, and emerging evidence suggests vitamin D affects risk of ARI and corticosteroid responsiveness in individuals with asthma. In this review, we summarize the association between obesity and asthma severity/control in children and discuss ARI and corticosteroid responsiveness as potential mediators in the obesity–asthma pathway. We also discuss the potential role of vitamin D, including a brief summary of recent randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation.
Longitudinal experience with botulinum toxin injections for treatment of blepharospasm and cervical dystonia

We performed a longitudinal analysis of the effects of repeat botulinum toxin (BTX) injections in 42 patients with blepharospasm (BL) and 115 patients with cervical dystonia (CD) who received BTX injections between 1984 and 1992 in at least five separate treatment sessions. Although the BL patients were significantly older (59.8 years) than the CD patients (50.6 years; p < 0.001), there were no other demographic differences between the two groups. While the total dose per treatment session and the peak effect rating remained the same, the duration of benefit increased and the number of complications decreased during the course of treatment. We conclude that chronic treatment with BTX in patients with BL and CD is not associated with any decline in benefit, and that efficacy may improve slightly with repeat treatments.
The Study on Relationships of Perceived Organizational Support and Job Satisfaction in Taiwan Hospitality Service Industry

In recent years the management science has emphasis on corporate how to support staffs to work in organization, including financial welfare and spirit respect. With more perceived organizational support would get well situation that staffs display effective productivity, beneficial behavior to organization and job satisfaction. The hospitality service industry staffs are at most largest of labor in Taiwan, in order to supply impressive service quality that managers have to motivate their staffs first. Therefore, some absolutely necessary ways like through organizational support was being placed to improve job satisfaction. This paper examines the relationship of perceived organizational support and job satisfaction; there were 176 participants in this project from hospitality industry in Taiwan. By questionnaire were be collected to test both two constructs whether has significant association. Result indicated perceived organizational support has positive significant influence on job satisfaction. Conclusions were provided management implication for hospitality industries managers to develop better human resource policy.
Increasing cesarean section rates: exploring the role of culture in an Australian community.

BACKGROUND The proportion of births by cesarean section in Australia has recently increased by 35 percent, rising from 17 percent in 1990 to 23 percent in 2000. Unlike previous research, which has focused on women's role in increasing rates of cesarean section, this study aimed to explore the existence of wider cultural norms of acceptance of cesarean section in the Australian community, and the implications these might have for rising rates. METHODS A postal self-completion questionnaire was sent to a consecutive sample of 148 women who delivered 7 weeks earlier at the Women's and Children's Hospital, a tertiary-referral public maternity hospital in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. These women were recruited at 18 weeks' gestation, and had been involved in a wider study. The questionnaire included three sections, one section on agreement with statements pertaining to cultural acceptance of cesarean section, a second on personal consideration of cesarean section in early pregnancy, and a third including sociodemographic questions. RESULTS Of the total sample, 92 women responded to the questionnaire (response rate 62%). Of 6 items relating to community acceptance of cesarean section, responses ranged from 71.4 percent agreement ("common for people to think that cesarean section offers an easier way of giving birth") to 23.1 percent agreement ("the media seems to portray cesarean section as a better option than vaginal delivery"). The option of having a cesarean section was considered by almost 15 percent (10/68) of women early in their pregnancy. For the vast majority (8/10) this consideration was clinically based. CONCLUSIONS This investigation demonstrated that these Australian women, independent of sociodemographic variables such as age and education level, agreed that cesarean section was perceived as an easy, convenient way of giving birth.
Cenozoic Plant Diversity in the Neotropics

Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the high levels of plant diversity in the Neotropics today, but little is known about diversification patterns of Neotropical floras through geological time. Here, we present the longest time series compiled for palynological plant diversity of the Neotropics (15 stratigraphic sections, 1530 samples, 1411 morphospecies, and 287,736 occurrences) from the Paleocene to the early Miocene (65 to 20 million years ago) in central Colombia and western Venezuela. The record shows a low-diversity Paleocene flora, a significantly more diverse early to middle Eocene flora exceeding Holocene levels, and a decline in diversity at the end of the Eocene and early Oligocene. A good correlation between diversity fluctuations and changes in global temperature was found, suggesting that tropical climate change may be directly driving the observed diversity pattern. Alternatively, the good correspondence may result from the control that climate exerts on the area available for tropical plants to grow.
Management control in fast growing entrepreneurial firms. Case study of four small and medium sized gazelles in Nordland county

This purpose of this master thesis is to contribute to the field of management control and entrepreneurship, through the examination of small and medium sized gazelles. This paper is relevant for those interested in the fields of management control, management and entrepreneurship. It may also be of interest to public sector bodies working with supporting growth of new firms and industries. Inspiration for this thesis came initially through research in management controls and entrepreneurship by Antonio Davila and George Foster. From a Norwegian context, the research presented by Daniel Johanson and Dag Øyvind Madsen in their article “Økonomistrying I Norge” (Magma Nr.6, 2013) was the spire for our initial interest in this research. In this thesis however, we look at the smaller gazelles with less than 50 employees. In this thesis we present an explorative case study of four gazelle firms (2015) located in Norland county, Norway. The gazelles in our cases come from different industries, and vary from 2-30 employees. Problem statement and research questions relate to how the founder in these gazelles manage and control during fast growth. First we present control mechanisms used by founders, presented through the Malmi/Brown (2008) framework. Through analysis of the mechanisms and gathered data, we present several interesting findings. We look at how founder use a mix of formal and informal controls to achieve a balance between flexibility and stability/control. We proceed to present findings related to founders “cognitive control model” of the firm. Findings include how founder use “rules of thumb” for efficient decisionmaking and how this affects the overall controls in the firm. We find that founders care little for growth as such, and view it as an “external force” they have to manage. Founders are found to have a strong HR-focus in their role as manager/owner. Finally, we combine or findings from Malmi/Brown framework (2008) and findings from analysis in a “cognitive control model” that provides an overall view of control mechanisms in the firm. Through incorporation of the “cognitive control model” we gained significant insights that was not discovered through Malmi/Brown (2008) framework.
EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR IN REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

PURPOSE: This study explores the relationship between employee involvement in decision making and problem solving and perceived organizational performance. Simultaneously, the concept of employee involvement was analyzed by embedding it within a national culture context. METODS: data were collected from a survey of 36 companies belonging to the Macedonian manufacturing industry. A hypothesis testing was carried out with a quantitative method and statistical analysis of data. RESULTS: The effective use of employee involvement is positively related to perceived organizational performance. More precisely, employee participation and empowerment programs, and the use of self-managing teams have a direct and statistically significant correlation to the managerial perception of the organizational performance. CONCLUSIONS: According to the aforementioned results, the companies are encouraged to adopt employee involvement programs in order to enhance performance, growth and competitiveness on the regional and global market.
001-128 Tourism 2016 01EN.indd

Hotel business' organizational success depends heavily on the employees' performance because of its labor-intensive structure. In the industry, levels of employees stress and manager behaviors directly affect the employees' behaviors. Th ese eff ects could be either negative (turnover intentions, absenteeism, deteriorated performance etc.) or positive (job satisfaction, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior etc.). Th is study, performed in hotel businesses, delved into investigation of managers' support and feedback behaviors to employees; perceptions of hindrance and challenge stress; job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior of the employees. Th e purpose of this study was to determine the impacts of hindrance and challenge stress and managers' support of employees, feedback and self-serving leadership behaviour on employees' job satisfaction and organisational citizenship behaviour. Th e study collected data on a sample of 410 employees in a fi ve-star hotels in Turkey. By using structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses, the results revealed that employees' job satisfaction is negatively aff ected by managers' support and self-serving leadership behaviour. However, employees' job satisfaction is positively aff ected by managers' feedback. It was also determined that, although organisational citizenship behaviour is positively aff ected by managers' support, this behaviour is negatively aff ected by managers' self-serving leadership behaviour.