Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Advising Initiative for Online Students on Academic Probation

Online courses are increasingly popular with students, and postsecondary institutions are increasing the availability of online courses and degrees. Continued improvements in the academic experience, including academic advising, for students attending online degree programs will be expected as more students take these courses. This article provides an example of how institutions can improve academic advising for online students. An advising initiative designed for residential students on academic probation was adapted for use with online students on academic probation. Discussion of the advising approach used with both populations is included. Outcomes included improved academic standing for both student populations.
Assessment of Urban Heat Island Patterns in Bangkok Metropolitan Area Using Time-Series of LANDSAT Thermal Infrared Data

Bangkok is a rapidly expanding city with existing natural areas being replaced by developed areas creating an urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon in the city. LANDSAT imagery, near-infrared wavelength data, and time series information were used to study and to monitor the phenomenon of surface urban heat island (SUHI) in Bangkok. The variation of land surface temperature (LST) and the urban heat island intensity (UHII) phenomenon during 2008-2014 were investigated and the relationship between the UHII phenomenon and urban sprawl in Bangkok was studied. Using the UHII, we compared nine LST images of the investigated areas defined as inner, urban fringe and suburb zones. The UHI in Bangkok in the winter (dry) is higher than in the summer. Satellite imageries were used to classify the land use types as open spaces with high-rise buildings, very high density of buildings and high-rise buildings. Low vegetation index was found in urban fringe areas and inner city area with high surface temperature. The vegetation index value is high in areas of agricultural land, and low density building, it appears in suburb areas with low surface temperature. The results indicate that NDVI and High-rise building zones influence LST distribution and UHII phenomenon.
Learning visual models from paired audio-visual examples

From the clink of a mug placed onto a saucer to the bustle of a busy caf6, our days are filled with visual experiences that are accompanied by distinctive sounds. In this thesis, we show that these sounds can provide a rich training signal for learning visual models. First, we propose the task of predicting the sound that an object makes when struck as a way of studying physical interactions within a visual scene. We demonstrate this idea by training an algorithm to produce plausible soundtracks for videos in which people hit and scratch objects with a drumstick. Then, with human studies and automated evaluations on recognition tasks, we verify that the sounds produced by the algorithm convey information about actions and material properties. Second, we show that ambient audio e.g., crashing waves, people speaking in a crowd can also be used to learn visual models. We train a convolutional neural network to predict a statistical summary of the sounds that occur within a scene, and we demonstrate that the visual representation learned by the model conveys information about objects and scenes. Thesis Supervisor: William Freeman Title: Thomas and Gerd Perkins Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Thesis Readers: Antonio Torralba, Josh McDermott
Evaluation of Corrosion Mechanisms in Stainless Steel Orthodontic Retainer Wires

EVALUATION OF CORROSION MECHANISMS IN STAINLESS STEEL ORTHODONTIC RETAINER WIRES Jamie E. Martin, DDS Marquette University, 2019 Objective: Orthodontic retainers fabricated from stainless steel wire and acrylic are prone to several types of corrosion in the oral environment, including stress, crevice, and galvanic corrosion. The aim of this study was to determine the relative effect of stress corrosion, galvanic corrosion, and crevice corrosion on stainless steel retainer wires. Methods: Three different brands of 0.032-inch stainless steel wires were tested. Six new segments (2-inch length) of each brand of wire were tested in each of four tests: 1) in an artificial saliva solution to determine a general corrosion ranking; 2) in an artificial saliva solution after a 90-degree bend was placed on the wire to examine stress corrosion; 3) in 6% iron chloride solution to simulate crevice conditions and evaluate crevice corrosion; and 4) in an artificial saliva with the wire coupled to a solder material to measure galvanic corrosion. Corrosion properties were evaluated with a potentiostat. Open circuit potential (mV) and corrosion current density (nA/mm) were compared in tests 1-3, as well as charge (mC) in the galvanic test. Statistical comparisons were completed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests and T-tests. Results: One brand of retainer wire was not superior to the others in all tests. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in open circuit potential (OCP) or corrosion current density between the bent and straight wires when tested in artificial saliva solution. All wires showed significantly (p<0.05) lower OCP and greater corrosion rates when placed in the iron chloride solution compared to artificial saliva. All wires were susceptible to pitting in the crevice conditions whereas pitting was observed less in the artificial saliva. The solder was anodic to the wires and produced the galvanic current. Conclusion: Stainless steel retainer wires have the potential to corrode via several mechanisms, but crevice corrosion appears to produce the greatest effect. Orthodontists should be aware of the potential for crevice corrosion in the fabrication and routine checkups of retainers made with stainless steel wire.
Unmasking Racism: Students of Color and Expressions of Racism in Online Spaces

Expressions of racism in the post-Civil Rights Era are expected to be more covert than overt and more unconscious than conscious. But some internet-based communication takes place in technological contexts that are not bound by the same norms as face-to-face interactions, and can structure more explicit presentations of racist ideologies. I explore the changing expressions of racism in online spaces and their effects on students of color using in-depth interviews with 27 undergraduate students of color and their reactions to and interpretations of an online, anonymous student forum. I argue that covert racism is unmasked in online environments, and that exposure to unmasked racial ideologies can challenge students’ racial worldviews, adaptive coping responses to racism, relationships to White students and institutions, and dominant racial narratives.
Network Analysis of Seed Flow, a Traditional Method for Conserving Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) Landraces in Liangshan, Southwest China

The Yi ethnic group in Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province in Southwest China have cultivated Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) for at least a thousand years. Tartary buckwheat landraces are maintained through their traditional seed system. Field work and social network methodologies were used to analyze the seed sources and their flows, and to create a seed network map. Self-saving, exchanging with neighbors and relatives, and purchasing from the market were the main means farmers used to save and exchange Tartary buckwheat seeds. The flow of seed within villages was higher than between villages. Wedding dowry was an important pathway for seed flow among all of the villages. Of the 13 Tartary buckwheat landraces maintained, four landraces were exchanged frequently. The seed exchange network structure was affected by the number of Tartary buckwheat landraces, the age of nodal households, geographic environment, culture, and cultural groups. Nodal households play an important role in the conservation and on-farm management of Tartary buckwheat landraces.
Responding, asking, and reacting : the secondary communication activities in social network sites

iii Lay summary . iv Preface . v Table of contents . vi List of tables. ix List of figures . x Acknowledgements . xii Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Chapter 2: Likes vs. Views: Investigating the Effects of Feedback on Social Network Site Use 7 2.1 Literature Review. 13 2.2 Research Model . 17 2.3 Theory . 25 2.4 Hypotheses . 28 2.5 Method . 32 2.6 Analysis and Results . 34 2.7 Discussion . 39 2.8 Summary . 46 Chapter 3: Why Do(n’t) We Ask Our Friends for Help? Social Network Site Mobilization Enablers and Inhibitors . 50 3.
Can Economic and Social Europe Be Reconciled? : Citizens’ View on Integration and Solidarity

REScEU “Reconciling Economic and Social Europe: Values, Ideas and Politics” (http://resceu.eu/) is a research project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) which involves the University of Milan and the Research Centre “Luigi Einaudi” based in Turin. The project is led by prof. Maurizio Ferrera (University of Milan) and aims to study the complex interplay between the European Union and national welfare states and to analyze how the recent crisis has exacerbated the tensions between these two dimensions. Between September and November 2016 the REScEU project conducted a cross-country public opinion survey in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. A questionnaire of about 50 questions has been administered to a sample of 9326 respondents aged 18 or older in the seven countries included in the research. The main purpose of the REScEU Mass Survey is to observe EU citizens’ positioning on four lines of conflict around which the politics of social Europe is mostly structured. These lines of tension deal with the ultimate EU mission, the principle of interstate solidarity in the EU, the free movement within the EU and the divide between integration and autonomy. Furthermore, the REScEU Mass Survey investigates the respondents’ propensity to voice their aversion towards certain EU political decisions and their opinion on the role of the EU during the crisisas well as its future. Considering the outcome of the “Brexit” referendum of 23 June 2016, the questionnaire administered to British respondents mainly focused on their attitudes towards the referendum and potential post-Brexit scenarios. Figures and tables that follow present the main results obtained from the REScEU Mass Survey. We start by providing an overview of the respondents’ attitudes on the four lines of conflict identified by the REScEU analytical framework. Then, we present surveyed citizens’ opinion on the current political crisis in the EU. Finally, we show the results of a couple of questions administered to the British sample of respondents that deal with “Brexit” referendum and post-Brexit scenarios.
Service innovativeness and tourism customer outcomes

Purpose This study aims to develop/test a model that examines the effect of service innovativeness on customer cocreation, satisfaction, advocacy and behavioral loyalty intent in the travel agency context. Design/methodology/approach To explore these issues, the authors deploy a convenience sample of 340 travel agency customers. Data analysis centered on confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings The results identify service innovativeness as a key driver of customer cocreation, satisfaction, advocacy and behavioral loyalty intent. The authors also identified customer cocreation to mediate the association between service innovativeness and customer advocacy, satisfaction and behavioral loyalty intent, respectively, and exerted a further direct effect on these variables. Research limitations/implications Given the cross-sectional data, further research may wish to explore the generalizability of the findings (e.g. in other sectors, cultures or by adopting a longitudinal research design that tracks the theorized relationships over time). Practical implications The findings suggest service innovativeness as an important driver of customers’ intra- (within) and extra-or trans-(across) interaction outcomes, thereby impacting the customer experience and highlighting the significance of service innovativeness for the travel sector. Originality/value While service innovativeness and cocreation are of significant interest, their integrative investigation in tourism has remained scant. Thus, by quantifying the influence of service innovativeness on customer-based cocreation, satisfaction, advocacy and loyalty intent, the paper adds to the emerging body of knowledge on service innovativeness in tourism.
The Extent of Community Participation in Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Project Identification in Mwense Constituency

ABSTRACT This study assessed the extent of community participation in Constituency Development Fund (CDF) project identification, in Mwense constituency of Mwense district in Zambia. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The sampling methods used were a combination of stratified proportionate random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. The sample size was 140 respondents. Quantitative data, which was collected using structured questionnaires was cleaned, coded and subjected to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 17.0), with the use of Pearson Chi-square to test the hypothesis, analyse and interpret data. Qualitative data was clustered along with main themes of the research for ease consolidation and interpretation of information. The study assessed that the extent of community participation on CDF project identification was simply by informing them on what is planned. The study also established that Councillors and the Area Member of Parliament were the ones who were identifying CDF projects in the constituency.
Gender Differences in Competition Among Gifted Students: The Role of Single-Sex Versus Co-Ed Classrooms

This study challenges an existing controversy, whether there are innate differences in competitiveness between boys and girls in general, and among the gifted in particular, or whether competitiveness is context-sensitive. The specific context examined in the study is that of two pullout weekly enrichment gifted programs: one with single-sex classrooms, and the other with co-ed classes. The competitiveness of 129 students was examined in three different areas: motor (running), spatial, and verbal tasks. The results indicate that boys performed better than girls did in all tasks, with the exception of competitive verbal tasks. Girls were more competitive than boys were in verbal tasks, and there were no significant differences in competitiveness between girls in co-ed environments and girls in a single-sex environment. This adds to the literature that views competitiveness as task-sensitive rather than gender-dependent.
Efficient Multi-Factor Authenticated Key Exchange Scheme for Mobile Communications

Authenticated key exchange (AKE) is one of the most important applications in applied cryptography, where a user interacts with a server to set up a session key where pre-registered information (aka. authentication factor), such as a password or biometrics, of the user is stored. While single-factor AKE is widely used in practice, higher security concerns call for multi-factor AKE (MFAKE) schemes, e.g., combining both passwords and biometrics simultaneously. However, in some casually designed schemes, security is even weakened in the sense that leakage of one authentication factor will defeat the whole MFAKE protocol. Furthermore, an inevitable by-product arise that the usability of the protocol often drop greatly. To summarize, the existing multi-factor protocols did not provide enough security and efficiency simultaneously. In this paper, we make one step ahead by proposing a very efficient MFAKE protocol. We define the security model and give the according security analysis. We also implement our protocol on a smartphone and a cloud server. The theoretic comparisons and the experimental results show that our scheme achieves both security and usability.
Updated Models of Passenger Transport Related Energy Consumption of Urban Areas

Introduction: As the global warming threat has become more concrete in recent years, there is a need to update transport energy consumptions of cities and to understand how they relate to population density and transport infrastructure. Transportation is one of the major sources of global warming and this update is an important warning for urban planners and policy makers to take action in a more consistent way. Analysis: This paper estimates and analyzes the passenger transport energy per person per year with a large and diverse sample set based on comparable, directly observable open-source data of 57 cities, distributed over 33 countries. The freight transport energy consumption, which accounts for a large portion of urban transport energy, is not considered. The main focus of the analysis is to establish a quantitative relation between population density, transport infrastructure and transport energy consumption. Results: In a first step, significant linear relations have been found between road length per inhabitant, the road infrastructure accessibility (RIA) and private car mode share as well as between RIA and public transport mode share. Results show further relation between travel distance, population density and RIA. In a second step, a simplified model has been developed that explains the non-linear relation between the population density and RIA. Finally, based on this relation and the above findings, a hyperbolic function between population density and transport energy has been calibrated, which explains the rapid increase of transport energy consumption of cities with low population density. Conclusions: The result of the this study has clearly identified the high private car mode share as main cause for the high transport energy usage of such cities, while the longer average commute distance in low-population density cities has a more modest influence on their transport energy consumption.
Changes in the dimensions of political competition in Europe and their impact on citizens’ engagement via Facebook

ABSTRACT This article focuses on a little-explored area of research, seeking to explain how political changes influence the participation of citizens in the social networks of local governments. In the context of the recent upsurge of anti-system movements and political parties in the European Union, we analyse a new set of data on participation via local governments’ Facebook pages during a turbulent period in European politics. The results obtained show that when a local government is affected by changes in political competition there is a greater degree of citizens’ engagement through social networks. Our analytical framework shows that this increased engagement is directly associated with the vulnerability of political parties, especially when the governing party loses its absolute majority and is constrained or prevented from carrying out political initiatives.
A Focus Group Analysis of Interdisciplinary Knowledge Held by Special Education Teachers and Community Rehabilitation Service Providers

This research study describes the current understanding of high school special education teachers and community rehabilitation providers (CRP) staff regarding the direct transition services available through each party, the challenges and barriers encountered by each party, and recommendations for improving collaboration between special education teachers and CRP staff to improve student outcomes. Current research emphasizes the importance of interagency collaboration and that collaboration can improve student post-secondary outcomes. The method included three focus groups. Thematic analysis revealed key themes in the areas of experiences, questions, barriers, collaboration, and recommendations. The results and recommendations from this study may provide guidance for special education teacher and CRP staff training. Future research should expand upon these themes across more participants and include Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Counselors.
Hearing voices: colonialism, outsider perspectives, island and Indigenous issues, and publishing ethics

This editorial introduction delves into problematic aspects of positionality and publishing ethics related to island and Indigenous issues. Taking its point of departure in Gilley’s paper on ‘The case for colonialism’ and Pöllath’s paper ‘Revisiting island decolonization’, the present paper questions: Whose voices should we listen to when considering island and Indigenous issues? If some voices should be excluded from the debate, how should we determine which voices are excluded? Ultimately, the paper criticizes exclusionary approaches and argues that Island Studies Journal should be open to publishing articles from metropolitan and outsider perspectives as well as from islander and Indigenous perspectives―but that it is necessary for authors and readers to be aware of their own positions within the colonial matrix of power.
Improved sample preparation of beam-sensitive ultra-thin cuprate films

At present, there is a widespread choice of TEM sample preparation techniques; however, none of them is generally applicable to all materials. During the TEM sample preparation, artifacts may be introduced and therefore special care has to be taken to avoid them. Here, we present two different optimized approaches for achieving high-quality electron transparent TEM lamellae prepared from highly sensitive NdBa2Cu3O7 (NBCO) ultra-thin films (4 unit cells thick) that have been deposited on TiO2 terminated SrTiO3 (STO) substrate by high oxygen pressure diode sputtering [1]. Electron transparent lamellae have been investigated by advanced aberration-corrected STEM using a JEOL JEM-ARM200F microscope equipped with a DCOR probe corrector operated at 200 kV. STEM images have been obtained using multiple frame acquisition [2] to improve the signal-to-noise ratio as well as to reduce image distortions.
Comparing global and situational support for police use of force across immigrant generations and native-born Americans

The purpose of this paper is to examine if global and situational support for police use of force vary across first-generation immigrants, second-generation immigrants and native-born Americans. ,Drawing on data from the 2012 General Social Survey, multivariate logistic regression models are performed to predict each of the three binary outcome variables (e.g. support for police use of reasonable force or excessive force) depending on immigrant generation status. ,Results indicate that, compared with native-born individuals, first-generation immigrants express less global support for police use of force and less support for police use of reasonable force. In contrast, the first-generation group is more supportive of police use of excessive force compared to the second-generation group and native-born group. ,Much research on immigrants’ perceptions of the police has yielded conflicting findings. Part of the reason has been attributed to failure to distinguish first-generation immigrants from successive generations of immigrants. The present study fills a gap in this line of research by assessing the extent to which there is a disparity in support for police use of force between different generations of immigrants and native-born individuals.