Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Critical appraisal of jointness concepts in Bayesian model averaging: evidence from life sciences, sociology, and other scientific fields

ABSTRACT Jointness is a Bayesian approach to capturing dependence among regressors in multivariate data. It addresses the general issue of whether explanatory factors for a given empirical phenomenon are complements or substitutes. I ask a number of questions about existing jointness concepts: Are the patterns revealed stable across datasets? Are results robust to prior choice and do data characteristics affect results? And importantly: What do the answers imply from a practical vista? The present study takes an applied, interdisciplinary and comparative perspective, validating jointness concepts on datasets across scientific fields with focus on life sciences (Parkinson's disease) and sociology. Simulations complement the study of real-world data. My findings suggest that results depend on which jointness concept is used: Some concepts deliver jointness patterns remarkably uniform across datasets, while all concepts are fairly robust to the choice of prior structure. This can be interpreted as critique of jointness from a practical perspective, given that the patterns revealed are at times very different and no concept emerges as overall advantageous. The composite indicators approach to combining information across jointness concepts is also explored, suggesting an avenue to facilitate the application of the concepts in future research.
Understanding the Relationship between Grade X Students’ Metacognitive Skills and Mathematics Performance: A Correlational Study.

Although it has always been a required core subject in Bhutanese schools, underachievement in mathematics regularly shows that the requirement has very little impact on students. This study aims to examine the relationship between mathematics performance and metacognitive skills in grade X students. This study used 347 grade X students (M = 162, F = 185) from one of the schools in Sarpang Dzongkhag and a correlational survey design. The level of students' metacognitive skills was evaluated using the modified Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI), whilst their mathematics performance was evaluated using the Mathematics Performance Test (MPT). Students in grade X were found to have high level of metacognitive skills (M= 3.54, SD=.42). While the correlational analysis showed a weak but significant positive correlation (r =.133, p ≤ .05) between students' metacognitive skills and mathematics performance. The outcome also showed that students' metacognitive skills are a statistically significant predictor of their mathematics performance. The findings of the study indicated that metacognition be taken into account to aid students' learning of mathematics.
Efficient removal of imidacloprid pesticide by two eco-friendly activated carbons

: In this study, the removal of imidacloprid (IMD) pesticide onto activated carbon produced from nut shells of hazelnut (HAC), and walnut (WAC) has been investigated. The prepared activated carbons were characterised by total carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen content, surface areas and pore volume. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were studied before and after adsorption experiments. Effects of adsorbent dose (0.02–0.2 g), contact time (10–120 min), initial imidacloprid concentration (10–100 mg∙dm –3 ), and pH (1–8), and temperatures (25–50°C) on the removal of IMD pesticide by HAC and WAC in the batch mode were studied. The removal percentage of imidacloprid pesticide by HAC and WAC was 93.79% and 94.72%, respectively. The study showed that the pseudo-second-order kinetics model fitted well for both activated carbons. Moreover, adsorption isotherm results were evaluated using Freundlich, Langmuir and Temkin isotherm models. The adsorption results correlated well with the Langmuir isotherm model ( R 2 = 0.987 and 0.964) with maximum adsorption capacities of 76.923 and 83.333 mg∙g –1 for HAC and WAC, respectively, and an equilibrium time within 120 min. The nature of the adsorption of imidacloprid pesticide onto HAC and WAC is exothermic, spontaneous and physical in nature. The two prepared activated carbons (HAC, WAC) were successfully regenerated for three cycles and could be used as an effective and low-cost adsorbent for the removal of IMD pesticide from aqueous solutions. The production of the activated carbons of HAC and WAC will provide minimisation of these wastes in the environment
Why Do Wages Grow Faster for Educated Workers?

The U.S. college wage premium doubles over the life cycle, from 27 percent at age 25 to 60 percent at age 55. Using a panel survey of workers followed through age 60, I show that growth in the college wage premium is primarily explained by occupational sorting. Shortly after graduating, workers with college degrees shift into professional, nonroutine occupations with much greater returns to job tenure. Educated workers are more likely to switch jobs right after completing schooling, but less likely to switch jobs thereafter. As a result, the rising college premium is mostly explained by wage growth within rather than between jobs. To understand these patterns, I develop a model of human capital investment where workers differ in learning ability and jobs vary in complexity. Faster learners sort into complex jobs with greater returns to investment. College acts as a gateway to better jobs, which offer more opportunity for skill development and on-the-job learning. ∗Email: david_deming@harvard.edu. Thanks to seminar participants at NYU, Columbia, St. Andrews, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Yale, and Queen Mary University of London for helpful comments. All errors are my own.
A multi-term Boltzmann equation benchmark of electron-argon cross-sections for use in low temperature plasma models

This study details the development, validation, and utilization of a multi-term Boltzmann equation (BE) model to benchmark argon cross-section sets for their use in low temperature plasma models. First, a complete derivation of the multi-term BE model is given. The multi-term BE model is verified by comparing calculated transport coefficients to known solutions for both conservative and non-conservative model gases. A general comparison between the solutions of the multi-term BE model and the solutions of the two-term BE model, BOLSIG+ , and the Monte Carlo collision model, METHES, is also reported. The multi-term BE model is used to calculate electron swarm parameters from three independently developed argon cross-section sets, which are compared with experimental data. Swarm parameters calculated from the Biagi cross-section set feature the best agreement with experimental data, with the exception of the first Townsend coefficient, which is best reproduced using the cross-section set of Zatsarinny and Bartschat.
Highly uniform ultraviolet-A quantum-confined AlGaN nanowire LEDs on metal/silicon with a TaN interlayer

In this paper, we describe ultraviolet-A (UV-A) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) emitting at 325 nm based on a highly uniform structure of quantum-confined AlGaN quantum-disk nanowires (NWs). By incorporating a 20 nm TaN interlayer between a Ti pre-orienting layer and the silicon substrate, we eliminated the potential barrier for carrier injection and phonon transport, and inhibited the formation of interfacial silicide that led to device failure. Compared to previous reports on metal substrate, we achieved a 16 × reduction in root-mean-square (RMS) roughness, from 24 nm to 1.6 nm, for the samples with the Ti/TaN metal-bilayer, owing to the effective diffusion barrier characteristic of TaN. This was confirmed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). We achieved a considerable increase in the injection current density (up to 90 A/cm2) compared to our previous studies, and an optical power of 1.9 μW for the 0.5 × 0.5 mm2 NWs-LED. This work provides a feasible pathway for both a reliable and stable UV-A device operation at elevated current injection, and eventually towards low-cost production of UV devices, leveraging on the scalability of silicon substrates.
The influence of social comparison on risk decision-making for self and groups in intergroup contexts

ABSTRACT Objective The current study aims to explore the influence of social comparison on risk decision-making for self and for groups in intergroup contexts. Method Two experiments with the within-subjects design of 2 (social comparison: upward comparison, downward comparison) × 3 (decision-maker role: for “me”, for “us”, for “them”) were conducted in this study. Experiment 1 focused on the ingroup contexts, and experiment 2 focused on the outgroup contexts. Results (1) in outgroup contexts, individuals are more risk-seeking in upward comparison conditions than in downward comparison conditions. However, the difference disappears in ingroup contexts. (2) Making decisions for “them” is riskier than making decisions for “me” and for “us” with no significant differences between the latter two and consistent across intergroup contexts. (3) The difference in risk decisions made amid upward and downward comparisons is amplified for decisions made for groups. Conclusion The findings may support the selective accessibility model and provide an interpretation with responsibility alleviation for self-group differences in risk decision-making. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: Recent research provides evidence for social loss aversion with individuals taking more risks when making upward comparisons. Previous findings of studies without involving social comparisons on the difference between making risk decisions for oneself and making decisions for others were not consistent. The identity of the comparison target affected an individual’s attention to social comparison. What this topic adds: Making decisions for a group magnified the difference in risk decisions made amid upward and downward comparisons. The perception of less responsibility for “their” welfare led to the decision makers taking more risks when making decisions for “them”. The difference in risk decisions made amid upward and downward comparisons appears in outgroup contexts whereas disappears in ingroup contexts for an outgroup context highlights comparative information, while an ingroup context weakens social comparison information.
Category Theory

Category theory is a branch of abstract algebra with incredibly diverse applications. This text and reference book is aimed not only at mathematicians, but also researchers and students of computer science, logic, linguistics, cognitive science, philosophy, and any of the other fields in which the ideas are being applied. Containing clear definitions of the essential concepts, illuminated with numerous accessible examples, and providing full proofs of all important propositions and theorems, this book aims to make the basic ideas, theorems, and methods of category theory understandable to this broad readership. Although assuming few mathematical pre-requisites, the standard of mathematical rigour is not compromised. The material covered includes the standard core of categories; functors; natural transformations; equivalence; limits and colimits; functor categories; representables; Yoneda's lemma; adjoints; monads. An extra topic of cartesian closed categories and the lambda-calculus is also provided - a must for computer scientists, logicians and linguists! This Second Edition contains numerous revisions to the original text, including expanding the exposition, revising and elaborating the proofs, providing additional diagrams, correcting typographical errors and, finally, adding an entirely new section on monoidal categories. Nearly a hundred new exercises have also been added, many with solutions, to make the book more useful as a course text and for self-study.
Do Teachers Feel Valued in Society? Occupational Value of the Teaching Profession in OECD Countries

Teacher accountability reforms implemented around the globe have heightened a sense that teachers are losing the support of policymakers and the general public. To examine the global pattern in teachers’ perception of occupational value and identify possible outcomes and predictors, we analyzed the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) data. We found an overwhelming majority of teachers feel undervalued in almost all OECD countries. In addition, teachers who feel undervalued reported less collective teacher effort for school improvement and job dissatisfaction consistently in four countries of comparison with different policy contexts—the United States, Australia, Finland, and Korea. However, the relationships between three working conditions impacted by accountability reforms—compensation, classroom autonomy, and involvement in school decision-making—and perceived occupational value varied across these four countries. Specifically, these working conditions seem to matter more in the United States, where the teacher policy context produces greater disparities across schools in teacher qualifications, distribution of qualified teachers, and degree of professional control.
The Feynman–Kac formula and Harnack inequality for degenerate diffusions

We study various probabilistic and analytical properties of a class of degenerate diffusion operators arising in population genetics, the so-called generalized Kimura diffusion operators Epstein and Mazzeo [SIAM J. Math. Anal. 42 (2010) 568–608; Degenerate Diffusion Operators Arising in Population Biology (2013) Princeton University Press; Applied Mathematics Research Express (2016)]. Our main results are a stochastic representation of weak solutions to a degenerate parabolic equation with singular lower-order coefficients and the proof of the scale-invariant Harnack inequality for nonnegative solutions to the Kimura parabolic equation. The stochastic representation of solutions that we establish is a considerable generalization of the classical results on Feynman–Kac formulas concerning the assumptions on the degeneracy of the diffusion matrix, the boundedness of the drift coefficients and the a priori regularity of the weak solutions.
Emergence of Third Generation Tetracyclines: New Magic Bullets to Tackle Antibiotic Resistance in the Post-antibiotic Era

Tetracyclines are broad-spectrum antibiotics effective against a wide variety of microorganisms including bacteria, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative, mycoplasmas, rickettsiae, chlamydiae, and protozoan parasites. Owing to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities and inexpensiveness, tetracyclines have been used extensively in both human and animal infections and in animal feed as growth promoters. Owing to this, the global prevalence of antibiotic resistance, particularly of tetracyclines, for Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Streptococcus pneumoniae and Gram-negative extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species is high. Indeed, the acquisition of tetracycline-specific resistance genes, mutations within the ribosomal binding site, and/or chromosomal mutations lead to both class-specific and intrinsic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mechanisms. As drug resistance increases globally, rendering diseases difficult to manage and eventually to mortality, antibiotics are becoming progressively less effective. Therefore, the discovery and development of novel antibiotics with appropriate indications is of the utmost importance. Among all antibiotics, the tetracyclines have acquired much attention due to the optimization of their chemical structures that paved the way to develop and introduce modern tetracyclines, referred to as third generation, namely tigecycline in the recent past, followed by omadacycline, eravacycline, and sarecycline very recently. Intriguingly, these novel tetracyclines are unique in two ways, first, these are highly effective against pathogens that acquired tetracycline-class resistance, and second, these agents exhibit either narrow or broad spectrum of in vitro activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, anaerobic, and atypical pathogens, including many drug-resistant strains lead to approval for limited use and unique indications. These beneficial effects represent a new era in the rational use of newer tetracyclines, the new magic bullets to tackle AMR in the post-antibiotic era. The present review focuses on third-generation tetracyclines emphasizing their safety, efficacy, and therapeutic choices in various clinical conditions of in-patient and out-patient settings.
Isolation and Antibiotic Sensitivity of Klebsiella pneumoniae among Urinary Tract Infected Patients in Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital Lafia, Nasarawa State Nigeria

Background and Objectives: Klebsiella pneumoniae complications with limited therapeutic options is considered as one major health issues concerning healthcare professionals worldwide. It is one of the leading nosocomial bacterial pathogen that causes most urinary tract infection, and recently the antibiotic resistance of Klebsiella pneumonia has totally increased dramatically. Cross-sectional study was performed from September 2021 to the end of December 2021. This aimed at the isolation and antibiotic sensitivity of the Klebsiella pneumoniae among patients with signs and symptoms of UTI. Materials and Methods: Cross- sectional study was performed from September 2021 to the end of December 2021. About120 urine specimens collected were analysed to detect the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae. The Disc diffusion method was used to determine the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates. Results: Of the 120 specimens collected, only 72 (60%) produced growth. The sensitivity test revealed that all the isolates were sensitive to levofloxacin, 30 isolates (14.2%) were sensitive to ciprofloxacin, 28 isolates (13.2%) were sensitive to gentamycin, 20 isolates (9.4%) were sensitive to travid, while Augmentin has the sensitivity of 17 (8.1%). It revealed that levofloxacin has the lowest resistance of 0 (0%) while travid has the highest resistance of 15(21.7%). Conclusion: The antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolate revealed that all the isolates were completely sensitive to levofloxacin and more resistant to Augmentin and travid.
Continuous-time capture-recapture models with covariates

This paper develops a class of continuous-time closed capture-recapture models which incorporate the use of covariates such as environmental variables or an individual’s characteristics. The capture intensity is allowed to vary with time, behavioural response and heterogeneity. The heterogeneity effect is modeled as a function of observable covariates but no assumptions regarding the time-varying function are made. The proposed hierarchy of models can be regarded as the continuous version of discrete-time models used in ecological applications. A unified likelihood-based approach is proposed to assess the effect of each possibly timedependent covariate and to obtain population size estimators. Our model generalizes Yip, Huggins and Lin (1996) to incorporate an animal’s behavioural response and to make use of all capture frequency data. The approach also extends Lin and Yip (1999) to a more general semi-parametric approach. Simulation results are presented to show the performance of the proposed estimation procedures. The estimators are applied to a set of capture data for house mouse (Mus musculus) discussed in the literature.
Search for planets around young stars with the radial velocity technique

Giant planets form in circumstellar disks around young stars. Two alternative theoretical formation concepts, disk instability and core accretion, may both apply under certain conditions, but core accretion is believed to be the main mechanism. No observational proof of the dominant process has been found thus far. Therefore, this thesis aims to detect sub-stellar companions orbiting young stars (1–100 Myr), because characteristics of young planets give input on formation processes involved. For this thesis, echelle spectra of 100 young stars have been obtained and analysed for vsini and basic stellar parameters. The radial-velocity has been calculated by cross-correlation of the spectra with templates using MACS. Stellar activity has been characterized by the analysis of the line bisector and other indicators. For 12 of the analysed stars, the radial-velocity variation is most likely caused by rotational modulation of stellar activity. Furthermore, one brown dwarf and six giant planets orbiting stars with ages of 2–90 Myr have been found. However, the ages of the stars are ill constraint and the number of found sub-stellar companions is too low to draw serious conclusions for formation processes. The frequency of giant planets and brown dwarfs around young stars is comparable to the frequency around solar-like stars.
Network Structural Vulnerability: A Multiobjective Attacker Perspective

In this paper, we provide a novel framework to assess the vulnerability/robustness of a network with respect to pair-wise nodes’ connectivity. In particular, we consider attackers that aim, at the same time, at dealing the maximum possible damage to the network in terms of the residual connectivity after the attack and at keeping the cost of the attack (e.g., the number of attacked nodes) at a minimum. Differently from the previous literature, we consider the attacker perspective using a multiobjective formulation and, rather than making hypotheses on the mindset of the attacker in terms of a particular tradeoff between the objectives, we consider the entire Pareto front of nondominated solutions. Based on that, we define novel global and local robustness/vulnerability indicators and we show that such indices can be the base for the implementation of effective protection strategies. Specifically, we propose two different problem formulations and we assess their performances. We conclude this paper by analyzing, as case studies, the IEEE118 power network and the U.S. Airline Network as it was in 1997, comparing the proposed approach against centrality measures.
D-branes in VSFT and their low energy limit

This contribution is devoted to a comparison between solitonic solutions in noncommutative field theories and tachyonic lumps in vacuum string field theory. We analyze in detail a sequence of the latter in the presence of a constant background B field. We show, in particular, that there exists a remarkable isomorphism with the sequence of so–called GMS solitons in noncommutative field theories.