Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparisons of Daily Functional Performance and RelevantFactors in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and SubcorticalIschemic Vascular Disease

Abstract Objective: To compare daily functional performance and potential predictiv e factors in pa tients withAlzheimer’s disease (AD) and subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD). Methods: Sixty-eight community patients with AD and 39 with SIVD were eva luated using t h e informantbasedBarthel Index of Activities of Daily Living (B-ADL) and Instrumental Activities of DailyLiving (IADL). Motor function, cognition, and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) wereassessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument(CASI)/Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), and Scheltens scale, respectively. Results: After controlling for systemic diseases and medications, toilet use was the o nly B -ADL subset inwhich the patients with SIVD performed worse than those with AD in overall c omparisons andCDR0.5-1. Additionally, the SIVD group with CDR0.5-1 performed worse in bathing, mobility,and climbing stairs. Regarding IADL performance, the SIVD group had worse performancesthan the AD group in mode of transportation during CDR2. In WMHs analysis, periventricularWMHs (PWMHs) was the only factor showing significant inverse correlations with both CASI andB-ADL/IADL. Hierarchical regression of all patients suggested that the best models incl uding age,education, PWMHs, CASI, and mRS accounted for 71% and 78% of the variances in B-ADL andIADL, respectively. While mRS accounted for a significant effect in both B-ADL and IADL, CASIaccounted for a significant effect only in IADL. Subgroup analysis suggested that the effects ofCASI and PWMHs were confined within B-ADL/IADL and IADL in the AD group, respectively. Conclusions: Motor function was the major factor in both B-ADL and IADL, and cognition ha d a significanteffect on IADL. Although PWMH load had inverse associations with both motor and cognitivefunctions, this radiological marker better predicted IADL in AD than in SIVD. The variationin daily functional profiles with dementia s tage and subtypes highlights the need to assessmotor function for preventive interventions.
Decentralized Planning for Non-dedicated Agent Teams with Submodular Rewards in Uncertain Environments

Decentralized planning under uncertainty for agent teams is a problem of interest in many domains including (but not limited to) disaster rescue, sensor networks and security patrolling. Decentralized MDPs, Dec-MDPs have traditionally been used to represent such decentralized planning under uncertainty problems. However, in many domains, agents may not be dedicated to the team for the entire time horizon. For instance, due to limited availability of resources, it is quite common for police personnel leaving patrolling teams to attend to accidents. Such non-dedication can arise due to the emergence of higher priority tasks or damage to existing agents. However, there is very limited literature dealing with handling of non-dedication in decentralized settings. To that end, we provide a general model to represent problems dealing with cooperative and decentralized planning for non-dedicated agent teams. We also provide two greedy approaches (an ofﬂine one and an ofﬂine-online one) that are able to deal with agents leaving the team in an effective and efﬁcient way by exploiting the submodularity property. Finally, we demonstrate that our approaches are able to obtain more than 90% of optimal solution quality on benchmark problems from the literature.
Microbiological profile of respiratory tract infections among HIV-infected and HIV-non infected patients : A comparative study

Background: The respiratory tract infections are among the first few secondary infections commonly seen in HIV infected patients. Hence, this study was undertaken to document the occurrence of bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infections in HIV infected patients. Materials and methods: Expectorated and induced sputum samples were collected from 961 HIVreactive patients and 300 HIV-nonreactive patients and processed for routine bacterial and fungal pathogens. Results: Out of 961 samples, 532 (55.36%) showed presence of routine bacterial and fungal pathogens. While 300 HIV non-infected RTI patients showed 73 (24.33%) bacterial or fungal pathogens. Among the findings, Mycobacterium tuberculosis constituted the highest number, 209 (21.14 %), followed by other bacterial infections, 117 (18.41%), and fungi, 66 (3.03%). The study showed that males were infected with HIV more than females and most of them belonged to the adult age group in the prime of their working life. Weight loss followed by fever and cough were the most common symptoms. Conclusion: When pathogens from both HIV infected and non-infected groups are compared and probability value was calculated it was found highly significant with p <0.001. M. tuberculosis is the most common opportunistic pathogen with probability value of <0.02 followed by bacterial pathogens (p<0.5) causing respiratory tract infections in HIV, when they were compared with findings of HIV non-infected RTI patients. HIV/RTI infected patients mean CD4 count was 339.10 + 84.0 cells/μL and mean CD4 count of identified pathogen was 263.85 + 94.47 cells/μL, i.e. with lowering of immune status higher chances of opportunistic infections. Shah RR. Microbiological profile of respiratory tract infections among HIV-infected and HIV-non infected patients: A comparative study. IAIM, 2016; 3(2): 51-59.
Influence of environmental factors on spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Inner Mongolia Plateau, China

Abstract. Spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were examined in conjunction with environmental factors in the waters of rivers and terminal lakes within the Hulun Buir plateau, northeast China. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorous (TP) were significantly higher in terminal lakes than rivers waters (p
Automated versus Do-It-Yourself Methods for Causal Inference: Lessons Learned from a Data Analysis Competition

Statisticians have made great progress in creating methods that reduce our reliance on parametric assumptions. However this explosion in research has resulted in a breadth of inferential strategies that both create opportunities for more reliable inference as well as complicate the choices that an applied researcher has to make and defend. Relatedly, researchers advocating for new methods typically compare their method to at best 2 or 3 other causal inference strategies and test using simulations that may or may not be designed to equally tease out flaws in all the competing methods. The causal inference data analysis challenge, "Is Your SATT Where It's At? ", launched as part of the 2016 Atlantic Causal Inference Conference, sought to make progress with respect to both of these issues. The researchers creating the data testing grounds were distinct from the researchers submitting methods whose efficacy would be evaluated. Results from 30 competitors across the two versions of the competition (black box algorithms and do-it-yourself analyses) are presented along with post-hoc analyses that reveal information about the characteristics of causal inference strategies and settings that affect performance. The most consistent conclusion was that methods that flexibly model the response surface perform better overall than methods that fail to do so. Finally new methods are proposed that combine features of several of the top-performing submitted methods.
The Correlation between Pre-Service Science Teachers' Astronomy Achievement, Attitudes towards Astronomy and Spatial Thinking Skills

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in pre-service Science teachers’ astronomy achievement, attitudes towards astronomy and skills for spatial thinking in terms of their years of study. Another purpose of the study was to find out whether there was correlation between pre-service teachers’ astronomy achievement, attitudes towards astronomy and skills for spatial thinking. The study was conducted with 280 pre-service teachers (freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors) studying at the education faculty of a university in Black Sea Region of Turkey. The data were collected through Astronomy Achievement Test, Astronomy Attitude Test and Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Visualization of Rotations. One way factor analysis (One-Way Anova) technique for independent groups was used for data analysis in order to find out whether pre-service teachers’ astronomy achievement, attitudes towards astronomy and skills for spatial thinking differed in terms of their years of study. In order to find out whether there was correlation between pre-service teachers’ astronomy achievement, attitudes towards astronomy and skills for spatial thinking, simple linear correlation analysis was conducted and Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient was checked. The results of the data analysis showed that pre-service teachers’ astronomy achievement, attitudes towards astronomy and skills for spatial thinking differed significantly in terms of their years of study. In addition, a low positive correlation was found between pre-service teachers’ astronomy achievement and attitudes towards astronomy while a high positive correlation was found between pre-service teachers’ astronomy achievement and their skills for spatial thinking. In line with these results, recommendations were made to increase the number of astronomy classes in education faculties and to teach astronomy not only in fourth year but also in the first three years.
Internationalization of small family firms: the influence of family from a socioemotional wealth perspective

We explore the factors influencing the internationalization of small family firms. Based on interviews with six family firms in Singapore, we highlight the importance of (1) family harmony, (2) trust in external relationships, (3) social and business networks, and (4) organizational resources and capabilities in the internationalization process. We show how the socioemotional wealth factors of trust and harmony affect networking and resources, which in turn affect internationalization. We find that initial internationalization through exports is enabled through trust in family networks, but the typical family characteristics of a desire to maintain family harmony and distrust of outsiders have a negative impact on network creation and resource development, which constrains the extent to which the firm internationalizes beyond exporting. In order to move from the first stage (exports/similar markets) to the second stage (joint ventures/different markets) of internationalization, less emphasis on trust and family harmony accompanied by more emphasis on building external networks and resources may be necessary. We propose a new model of internationalization of family firms based on our findings. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Thermosensitive Hydrogel Mask Significantly Improves Skin Moisture and Skin Tone; Bilateral Clinical Trial

Objective: A temperature-sensitive state-changing hydrogel mask was used in this study. Once it comes into contact with the skin and reaches the body temperature, it uniformly and quickly releases the active compounds, which possess moisturizing, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. Methods: An open label clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of the test product on skin hydration, skin tone and skin ageing. Subjects applied the product to one side of their face and underwent Corneometer® and Chromameter measurements, Visual assessment of facial skin ageing and facial photography. All assessments and Self-Perception Questionnaires (SPQ) were performed at baseline, after the first application of the test product and after four applications. Results: After a single treatment we observed an increase in skin moisturisation, an improvement of skin tone/luminosity and a reduction in signs of ageing, all statistically significant. After four applications a further improvement in all measured parameters was recorded. These results were confirmed by the subjects’ own perceptions, as reported in the SPQ both after one and four applications. Conclusion: The hydrogel mask tested in this study is very effective in improving skin hydration, skin radiance and luminosity, in encouraging an even skin tone and in reducing skin pigmentation.
Radiative properties and direct effect of Saharan dust measured by the C‐130 aircraft during Saharan Dust Experiment (SHADE): 2. Terrestrial spectrum

[1] In situ measurements of terrestrial radiation from the C-130 aircraft during the Saharan Dust Experiment (SHADE) are used to quantify the effect of a strong dust outbreak on radiance and brightness temperatures. The dust gives a distinct spectral signature in upwelling and downwelling terrestrial radiation when high spectral resolution data for a dusty day is compared to data from a clear day. A radiative transfer model is used together with a size distribution retrieved from Sun photometers and atmospheric profiles from dropsondes to simulate the radiance data and provide a constraint on the refractive indices of Saharan dust in the terrestrial part of the spectrum. The degree of agreement between observed and simulated brightness temperatures is dominated by the choice of refractive index, the mass loading, and the altitude of the dust layer. The uncertainties in size distribution appear to have less of an effect so long as large particles (radius greater than 1 μm) are included. In the terrestrial spectrum the dust produced a relative warming rate of up to 0.5 K/day below the dust and a relative cooling of up to 0.5 K/day within the dust layer itself. The effect on irradiance due to this dust outbreak was a decrease in upwelling terrestrial radiation at the top of the atmosphere of 6.5 Wm−2 and an increase in downwelling terrestrial radiation at the surface of 11.5 Wm−2. The dust led to decreases in brightness temperature of 2–4 K in the window region, consistent with apparent features in the sea surface temperature retrieved from the advanced very high resolution radiometer.
Perceived Influencers of the Decline on Performance of Students in Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education's Agriculture Examination Results

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors perceived to contribute to the decline of students’ performance in the Botswana’s General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) agriculture results. Ninety-one agriculture examiners were randomly sampled out of 100 teachers who were invited to mark the 2012 end of year examination scripts. A questionnaire was mailed by post and partly hand delivered to gather quantitative data. The SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. The results showed that majority (57%) of the agriculture teacher examiners were male, 66% were in the age range of 31-35 years old. A large proportion (66%) of them had taught for a period of 6 to 15 years. The study revealed positive perceptions of teachers on three constructs influencing the decline on the students’ performance in agriculture. The study revealed that under the construct, Students’ behaviors, social and economic related factors, students attitudes towards the subject yielded high mean (x)‘= 4.45 , STD (σ) ’ = . 81; on Factors related to curriculum issues, the study sho we d “ interpretation of examination items ” had high mean (x) ‘= 4.39 , STD (σ) = . 75 and under the construct on Factors related to resources and infrastructure the mean (x) was = 4.79 , STD (σ) = . 53 was high on the student teacher ratio. The study concluded that the three constructs studied had influence towards students’ performance in agriculture. However, based on interpretational correlations the results did not find any strong relationship among the demographic variables studied.
ENERGY AND EMISSIONS IMPLICATIONS OF SELF-DRIVING 1 VEHICLES 2

Despite saving drivers time and decreasing the number of crashes, connected and self-driving or automated vehicles (CAVs) will increase vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) and thus congestion, at least for some time. This is due to the potential for current non-drivers (e.g. the elderly) to travel independently, empty-vehicles repositioning themselves, and greater land development at the periphery of regions. However, the adoption of these vehicles may have a greater impact on travel patterns, emissions, and energy usage. In terms of travel distance, CAVs may increase VMT as a result of longer and more frequent trips. Persons without driver’s licenses may now experience greater mobility, thanks to the fully-automated driving performance. Empty-driving, when a self-driving vehicle travels with no passengers, will induce new VMT. CAVs may drive empty to find cheap parking lots or pick up another passenger. However, the introduction of dynamic ride-sharing (DRS) may manage this increased VMT by optimizing the correlated origin-destination pairs. Also, vehicle right-sizing strategies can match more efficient vehicles to the needs of passenger occupancy and baggage size. For example, a mixed fleet of single-seated, twoseated, and four or more seated CAV utilizing DRS strategies might be a possible solution to reduce the VMT and energy implications induced by CAVs. In this paper, the energy implications of self-driving vehicles, for individual and shared use under different energy and technology scenarios are estimated. The existing findings and estimates of energy and emissions savings from CAV applications are synthesized and summarized. Some aspects of CAVs might result in energy savings, while some would result in greater energy consumption. Evolving VMT, congestion, and traffic management conditions considering evolving fleet conditions are anticipated to estimate magnitudes of emissions and energy savings from the various emerging CAV technologies. The change in users’ travel behavior might require 46% more energy use, and the improvement in driving details of CAVs would need up to 50% more energy compared to current state. However, multi-vehicle operation of CAVs would reduce up to 49% more energy, and electrification of power train would reduce up to 70% more energy than before. Through these findings, impacts of different technologies should be rank-ordered, and recommendations to public agencies, manufacturers, and other stakeholders should be provided to encourage lower emissions and more sustainable self-driving conditions in the United States. 46
Diversity and Economic Performance in a Model with Progressive Taxation

Is a more heterogeneous population beneficial or harmful to long-term economic performance? This article addresses this and other questions in a dynamic general equilibrium model where consumers differ in their labour productivity and time preference. We show how differences in the cross-sectional distribution of these characteristics can affect the economy via two channels. The first one involves changing the composition of the labour force; and the second one involves changing the cross-sectional distribution of the marginal tax rate. We show how these channels are, respectively, determined by the shape of the labour supply function and the curvature of the marginal tax function.
An Analysis of Information System Security of a Ghanaian University

Information Systems in Universities are set up to address several requirements, ranging from openness, flexibility, scalability and performance to security and privacy as well as support the key role of teaching, learning and research. This paper analyses the information system environment of a public Ghanaian university and discusses the state of information security. It discusses the short falls, and some improvements that may assuage the identified risks. This is a descriptive research informed by a pragmatist viewpoint. The study focused on technical and non-technical staff of the university. In all, 180 respondents were stratified into technical and non-technical users. The results indicated that respondents viewed confidentiality as the most important information security objective followed by integrity and availability. The university assets that respondents viewed as most valuable were students records and research data as compared to computers and mobile devices. Respondents also indicated that they experienced malware attacks frequently with very few experiencing unauthorised change of information on systems. It is recommended that there should be regular training programs to create awareness on cyber security threats among stakeholders especially within a typical BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) environment such as a university. In addition, security policies on antiviruses should be developed, implemented and enforced to ensure protection of sensitive data.
A review and experimental evaluation of recent advances in time series classification

In the last five years there have been a large number of new time series classification algorithms proposed in the literature. These algorithms have been evaluated on subsets of the 47 data sets in the University of California, Riverside time series classification archive. The archive has recently been expanded to 85 data sets, over half of which have been donated by researchers at the University of East Anglia. Aspects of previous evaluations have made comparisons between algorithms di cult. For example, several di↵erent programming languages have been used, experiments involved a single train/test split and some used normalised data whilst others did not. The relaunch of the archive provides a timely opportunity to thoroughly evaluate algorithms on a larger number of datasets. We have implemented 18 recently proposed algorithms in a common Java framework and compared them against two standard benchmark classifiers (and each other) by performing 100 resampling experiments on each of the 85 datasets. We use these results to test several hypotheses relating to whether the algorithms are significantly more accurate than the benchmarks and each other. Our results indicate that only 9 of these algorithms are significantly more accurate than both benchmarks and that one classifier, the Collective of Transformation Ensembles, is significantly more accurate than all of the others. All of our experiments and results are reproducible: we release all of our code, results and experimental details and we hope these experiments form the basis for more rigorous testing of new algorithms in the future. Address(es) of author(s) should be given 2 Anthony Bagnall et al.
Barriers Teachers Face in Integrating ICT during English Lessons: A Case Study.

The government has assured all Malaysians that no one; both in rural and urban areas; would be deprived of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development. This calls for a need for teachers nationwide to make necessary adjustments to the teaching and learning process. This paper takes a closer look at the barriers faced by teachers in integrating ICT tools in teaching the English language in the classrooms. This study aimed at determining the reasons teachers do not use ICT in the classrooms, even though they are provided with sufficient technical supports. A total of twelve English teachers from an Independent Chinese secondary school were interviewed and their views were analysed through thematic content analysis. The findings revealed that although the school was highly resourced with ICT tools and facilities, barriers such as teachers’ hesitancy in integrating ICT, amount of workload, lack of time, teaching experience and age and lack of ICT skills were impeding the teachers to incorporate ICT in their teaching. Thus, sufficient training, motivation, encouragement, flexible time and task arrangement for teachers are necessary in order to provide opportunities for them to incorporate ICT resources into their teaching. Future research could focus on more effective ways to overcome the barriers of ICT integration in education.