Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors That Affect Quality of Teaching Staff in Universities in Kenya

Quality in higher education has been important for decades. In Kenya, quality in universities was embraced some years back by facilitating the vigorous vetting of programmes; matching the programmes with the existing capacity and competent sourcing of human resources to run the programmes. The study sought to determine the factors affecting quality of teaching staff in universities. Descriptive design was adopted with eight universities/university colleges considered for the sample. Stratified random sampling was used and a total of 120 questionnaires were administered. Out of these, 102 questionnaires were returned. Analysis was done and a number of tests done using varied statistical tools.Research findings indicate that human resource management (HRM) practices at universities remains the biggest challenge to quality. Some of the HRM activities like feedback on performance and recommendation for training/couching are poor. The applicability of HRM tools in driving university activities such as use of performance based management, reward and motivation is minimal. The findings also indicated a mismatch between resource allocation by the Government and growth in student population. The staff capacity constraints in both the established universities and the constituent colleges continue to be felt. Teaching facilities are getting overstretched thus reducing quality as found in this research. Also, contribution of university staff to society in terms of research and technology transfer is also demeaning. The university teaching staffs are not adequately facilitated in research and publications. The need to address human resource management (HRM) gaps as well encourage continuous professional development of the teaching staff is therefore urgent. Universities need to set aside proportional amount of funds for staff development, so as to encourage staff to continuously undertake research and publications. A review of remuneration and work environment will also discourage brain drain and motivate teaching staff. Of importance also is- 3 - 3embracing e-leaning as a model for knowledge dissemination at universities. E-content development is a clear driver that will facilitate greater outreach for university education in Kenya, and attend to the long-term human resource gaps that cannot be adequately addressed with the growth in demand for higher education in Kenya.
Parallel and distributed simulation of discrete event systems

The achievements attained in accelerating the simulation of the dynamics of complex discrete event systems using parallel or distributed multiprocessing environments are comprehensively presented. While parallel discrete event simulation (DES) governs the evolution of the system over simulated time in an iterative SIMD way, distributed DES tries to spatially decompose the event structure underlying the system, and executes event occurrences in spatial subregions by logical processes (LPs) usually assigned to di erent (physical) processing elements. Synchronization protocols are necessary in this approach to avoid timing inconsistencies and to guarantee the preservation of event causalities across LPs. Included in the survey are discussions on the sources and levels of parallelism, synchronous vs. asynchronous simulation and principles of LP simulation. In the context of conservative LP simulation (Chandy/Misra/Bryant) deadlock avoidance and deadlock detection/recovery strategies, Conservative Time Windows and the Carrier Nullmessage protocol are presented. Related to optimistic LP simulation (Time Warp), Optimistic Time Windows, memory management, GVT computation, probabilistic optimism control and adaptive schemes are investigated. CR
A Novel Simulation Model to Measure the Performance of Network Traffic Utilization in Heterogeneous Network Environment

This paper present a new method for the forecasting of network traffic in heterogeneous environment. This research investigates performance evaluation of network interface port on heterogeneous services and technologies environment. We propose an enhanced equation to evaluate the performance of network interface port via Little Law and Queuing theories to improve the evaluation algorithm. To get accuracy results on the performance of simulation model, we measure (verify and validate) data from lab experiment and real network environment. We use network management tool to capture those data and Fluke Optiview device to generate traffic. As a result, this simulation model can provide a good approximation of the real traffic observed in the real network environment. The experimental results indicate that the present method is capable of approximating the performance of network traffic over heterogeneous services and techniques within a minimum error range.
Public health: community learning disability nurses' perception and experience of their roles - an exploratory sequential multiple methods study

PURPOSE Research into how public health policy is translated into role specifications within job descriptions of community learning disability nurses is important. In addition, the need for research that focuses on describing how community learning disability nurses perceive, and enact their public health roles has been identified. Furthermore, there is need to explain the 'moderators' of how community learning disability nurses enact their public health roles. METHODS This was a 3-stage exploratory sequential multiple methods study. Stage 1 was documentary, and involved collecting and analysing community learning disability nurses' job descriptions, and or person specifications. Stage 2 was descriptive, and used a grounded theory approach. Stage 3 was explanatory, and involved an on-line questionnaire survey. MAIN FINDINGS There were inconsistencies in public role health expectations in community learning disability nurses' job descriptions and person specifications. The public health roles were academic, health education, health prevention, health promotion, health protection, health surveillance, healthcare access facilitation, healthcare delivery, leadership, and policy development and implementation. The moderators of public health role enactment by community nurses identified in this study were complex and extended beyond current explanations of role theory. Some of the correlates of the moderators of public role health enactment by community learning disability nurses included role clarity in job descriptions, periodic review of role expectations, role perception, perceived role value, community learning disability nurses' perceptions of employing organisations' priorities, and community learning disability nurses' perceptions of employing organisations' knowledge of the public health needs of people with learning disabilities, band, and finally the type of employer. SIGNIFICANCE FOR RESEARCH AND PRACTICE There is a need for clarity of community learning disability nurses' public health roles locally, and nationally. It is important that relevant organisations have structures that can respond appropriately to public health policy changes in order to meet the often complex and co-morbid health needs of people with learning disabilities.
PENGARUH KEPUTUSAN INVESTASI, KEPUTUSAN PENDANAAN, DAN TINGKAT SUKU BUNGA TERHADAP NILAI PERUSAHAAN PADA PERUSAHAAN OTOMOTIF YANG TERDAFTAR DI BURSA EFEK INDONESIA

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melihat pengaruh keputusan investasi, keputusan pendanaan, dan tingkat suku bunga terhadap nilai perusahaan. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh perusahaan otomotif yang terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia periode 2004-2007. Sampel dalam penelitian ini menggunakan teknik purposive sampling berjumlah 11 perusahaan. Analisis dilakukan dengan menggunakan model regresi panel. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa keputusan investasi berpengaruh tidak signifikan dan negatif terhadap nilai perusahaan (sig. 0,3464), Keputusan pendanaan berpengaruh signifikan dan positif terhadap nilai perusahaan (sig. 0,0493). Dan tingkat suku bunga berpengaruh signifikan dan negatif terhadap nilai perusahaan (sig. 0,0015). Kata Kunci : Keputusan Investasi, Keputusan Pendanaan, Tingkat Suku Bunga, Nilai Perusahaan
Quasi Class-DE Driving of HIFU Transducer Arrays

Recently, a method was proposed to determine the parameters for each Class DE driver in high-intensity focused ultrasound arrays for efficient operation and to compensate for variations in the impedance of each array element. This work extends that method to consider the effect of switch resistance and to provide limited control on the power delivered to the transducers with a constant supply voltage while keeping a good efficiency. The method is experimentally validated using an integrated driver developed by the authors. This paper also shows that the frequency range for efficient electrical operation is close to the frequency where the transducer array presents a peak in the conversion efficiency.
When lung cancer was rare: An historical study of prevalence from 1760.

Background: In 1798 Le Roux, fellow of Bichat, reported that primary lung cancer was nonexistent. Today it is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide with 1.7 million in 2015. Aim: The aim of this study was to estimate the primary lung cancer prevalence changes around the world from the end of the 18th century to 1950, when the first registers became available. Methods: International autopsic studies results from 1760 to 1950 were collected. All major international electronic databases were queried and paper files were obtained when electronic data were not available. Results: In 22 countries across America, Europe, Asia, Africa, 1899 references representing 4067041 autopsies were found. We estimate that, in the first half of the 19th century, lung cancer crude prevalence ranged from 1.82*10-5 in France (with a mean age at death of 62.3) to 0.0054 in Germany. This was followed by a period of stability in the second part of the 19th century with a prevalence ranging from 0 in Italy to 0.16 in UK. These figures increased dramatically from the beginning of the 20th century to reach a prevalence of 0.39 in 1947 in Germany. Conclusion: To our knowledge, it is the first study reporting historical lung cancer prevalence for this period: Lung cancer was rare 200 years ago but increased significantly from the beginning of the twentieth century onwards, reflecting probably the introduction of manufactured cigarettes.
Occupational stress in Australian university staff: results from a national survey

This article presents results from a study of occupational stress in Australian university staff. The authors report data on psychological strain and job satisfaction from nearly 9,000 respondents at 17 universities. Academic staff were generally worse off than general staff, and staff in newer universities were worse off than those in older universities. At the aggregate level, selfreport measures of psychological well-being were highly correlated with objective measures of university well-being (investment income, student–staff ratios, and recent cuts in staffing levels and in government operating grants). The authors conclude that the financial difficulties imposed on Australian universities in recent years are having serious consequences for the psychological well-being of their staff, particularly academic staff (faculty). Copyright 2003 by the Educational Publishing Foundation
Electronic reference services: a quality and satisfaction evaluation

Purpose An evaluation of libraries and their overall quality should consider the quality of the services they provide. Satisfaction in terms of the service provided is indicative of the quality of reference services and since these services are expensive, evaluation is therefore essential. This paper aims to outline the development of a structural equations model to evaluate service quality and user satisfaction with regard to the electronic reference service provided by Francisco Xavier Clavigero Library belongs to the Iberoamericana University, located in Mexico City. Design/methodology/approach This model suggests that service quality can be explained by way of the five dimensions of the SERVQUAL methodology, (reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy and responsiveness) and in turn, quality explains both user satisfaction and the value of the service to its patrons. Finally, this model suggests that a positive increase in user satisfaction leads to a lineal and positive increase in user loyalty. The evaluation considered 297 users who made at least one electronic reference request during 2014. Findings The adjustment of the structural model reveals that the latent variables that explain quality are reliability and responsiveness, and that quality explains satisfaction, which in turn explains user loyalty. Originality The generation of an indicator to evaluate the reference services enables identification of its strengths and weaknesses to offer a more efficient service, considering that it represents a significant percentage of the library’s financial and human resources.
Traumatic Brain Injury Increases β‐Amyloid Peptide 1‐42 in Cerebrospinal Fluid

Abstract: The β‐amyloid peptides, Aβ1‐42 and Aβ1‐40, were quantified in ventricular CSF taken daily for up to 3 weeks from six individuals with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). There was considerable interindividual variability in the levels of Aβ peptides, but in general Aβ1‐42 levels equalled or exceeded those of Aβ1‐40. Averaging the daily totals of our trauma cohort revealed that the levels of Aβ1‐42 and Aβ1‐40 rose after injury, peaking in the first week and then declining toward control levels over the next 2 weeks. Aβ1‐42 levels were on average two to three times higher in the trauma cohort than in CSF from nontrauma samples. Compared with nontrauma samples, the Aβ1‐40/Aβ1‐42 ratio decreased about fivefold in the trauma patients, further indicative of increased Aβ1‐42 levels. The ratio remained low at all time points studied. No change was measured in the levels of β‐amyloid precursor protein during the same interval. These results suggest that Aβ1‐42 becomes elevated in the CSF after severe brain trauma.
Employee perception of impact of knowledge management processes on public sector performance

PurposeThe application of knowledge management (KM) is critical to public sector firm as it is to private sector firm. However, despite its significance, the academic enquiry of KM in public sector is at its nascent stage. This forms the motivation of the present work; this paper aims to analyze and understand the intricate relationship between KM processes and public sector firm performance in terms of operational, quality and innovation performance.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive KM processes–performance framework consisting of seven constructs (four constructs of KM processes and three constructs of KM performance) and their underlying factors was developed through an extensive literature review. The employee perceptions of these seven constructs were captured on a five-point Likert scale using a country-wide survey in the UAE public sector. The 270 valid responses captured were then used to first validate the KM framework and then test the hypothesized relationships between KM processes and KM performance.FindingsThe findings show that all four KM processes (knowledge creation, knowledge capture and storage, knowledge sharing and knowledge application and use) had a positive and significant impact on operational, quality and innovation performance of public sector in the UAE.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings confirm the validity and reliability of all the seven constructs and their underlying factors and the assessment framework. Overall, this study fills a gap in the literature about applying/implementing a KM framework for the public sector and therefore significantly contributes toward the theoretical advancement of the field. However, the study does acknowledge the use of perceptual measures of individual employees as a limitation instead of more objective measures to capture the impact KM processes on KM performance.Practical implicationsThe strong and significant impact of KM processes on firm performance is expected to provide the impetus for practitioners and policymakers to implement and leverage from KM processes and improve firm performance in the public sector.Originality/valueA comprehensive development, validation and assessment of a KM framework for the public sector has not been attempted previously anywhere, let alone UAE, and hence constitutes the novelty of this work.
Prevalence of Hypertension among School Children in Puducherry

Hypertension in childhood is now recognized to be a common and serious problem with a prevalence of 2% to 5%. Early identification of children at risk for hypertension, proper evaluation and appropriate management are important to prevent the serious, long – term complications associated with the condition. The present study was undertaken in this direction, to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and identify the risk factors in among school children (11 – 17 years) in Puducherry. After critically analyzing the results of the present study and comparing the results with other studies, it can be concluded that: Blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic gradually increases with age, the increase being more pronounced in systolic blood pressure than in diastolic blood pressure. The increase in the blood pressure with increase in the age is not uniform with a wide range of fluctuations, between different age groups.
Learning Generative Models of 3D Structures

3D models of objects and scenes are critical to many academic disciplines and industrial applications. Of particular interest is the emerging opportunity for 3D graphics to serve artificial intelligence: computer vision systems can benefit from synthetically‐generated training data rendered from virtual 3D scenes, and robots can be trained to navigate in and interact with real‐world environments by first acquiring skills in simulated ones. One of the most promising ways to achieve this is by learning and applying generative models of 3D content: computer programs that can synthesize new 3D shapes and scenes. To allow users to edit and manipulate the synthesized 3D content to achieve their goals, the generative model should also be structure‐aware: it should express 3D shapes and scenes using abstractions that allow manipulation of their high‐level structure. This state‐of‐the‐art report surveys historical work and recent progress on learning structure‐aware generative models of 3D shapes and scenes. We present fundamental representations of 3D shape and scene geometry and structures, describe prominent methodologies including probabilistic models, deep generative models, program synthesis, and neural networks for structured data, and cover many recent methods for structure‐aware synthesis of 3D shapes and indoor scenes.
Fertility transition in Pakistan: neglected dimensions and policy implications

This research addresses some of the neglected non-program dimensions related to stagnant fertility transition in Pakistan. Previous research identified a range of factors influencing fertility in Pakistan, particularly the effect of distortions in reported ages, fertility inhibiting variables, timing of first marriage and first birth, and birth intervals. The literature provides evidence that there is no systematic analysis of these dimensions particularly at the regional levels. This research addresses these dimensions by evaluating the fertility and reproductive health data in particular using the cross-sectional data from the 1990 and 2006 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey, and 2000-01 Pakistan Reproductive Health and Family Planning Survey. Based on the application of relevant demographic and statistical techniques, the study demonstrates evidence of clear discrepancies in age reporting among married females across the seven geographic regions. This had influence on the estimated marital fertility rates which tend to be significantly higher when the reporting effects were adjusted. The analysis of fertility inhibiting factors reveals that timing of marriage and contraceptive use are crucial determinants associated with fertility reduction in Pakistan. By far, the strongest factor driving increase at first marriage in Pakistan is the level of female education which tends to vary significantly across different geographic regions. The analysis of the duration between marriage and first conception shows rather unexpected complex hazard functions with two peaks suggesting the behaviour of two different groups of women: those adhering to the traditional pattern in which conception take place soon after marriage; and those who postpone conception after marriage. Punjab, Baluchistan and urban regions are ahead of the fertility transition at the national level, confirming the effect of longer birth intervals. Based on the analysis of the proximate determinants framework, it can be concluded that Pakistan has entered the early third phase of the fertility transition. Urban Punjab and Baluchistan have also showed convergence to the third phase of the fertility transition. Breastfeeding and amenorrhea have emerged as significant determinants of birth interval duration. The results of this study highlight various areas for programme intervention and policy development. There is a dire need for a policy to improve the levels of female literacy and education especially in poorly developed regions which are in the second phase of fertility transition. A cost-effective intervention would be using mass media, for example radio broadcasting as the medium to disseminate reproductive health and family planning information. Pakistan needs specific policy interventions aimed at empowering girls with education for delaying marriage and encouraging contraceptive use. In formal education programmes, the syllabus should include the introduction to contraception, sexual health education as well as information on sexually transmitted diseases.
Female adolescent hawkers in Nigeria: HIV/AIDS-related knowledge attitudes and behaviour.

Background: HIV/AIDS is a pandemic with serious consequences. It affects such vulnerable groups as street children, adolescents and particularly females. Methodology: In 1999, a study was conducted among 686 randomly selected single females aged 10 to 24 years, who hawked food and other items in motor parks, in order to identify their HIV/AIDS risk and examine their possible role in its transmission, as a baseline for an intervention. Focus Group Discussion and adapted Participatory Action Research methodology were used to obtain information. Results: Eighty-one per cent had heard about HIV/AIDS and its sexual transmission. Thirty-eight per cent did not abstain from sexual intercourse, 54.0% of these had multiple partners, 38.0% used the condom, and 7.4% had ever been raped during the course of their jobs as hawkers. Their risk perception was poor. Conclusion: This target population is at high risk of contracting HIV infection and could transmit the infection within the community, thereby contributing significantly to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Female adolescent hawkers should be targeted with appropriate programmes that would empower them for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. KEY WORDS: Adolescents; Hawkers; Rape; HIV/AIDS; Knowledge; Nigeria Journal of Community Medicine & Primary Health Care Vol.16(2) 2004: 23-29