Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Culture and Politics of Machine Learning in NIME: A Preliminary Qualitative Inquiry

For several years, the various practices around ML techniques have been increasingly present and diversified. However, the literature associated with these techniques rarely reveals the cultural and political sides of these practices. In order to explore how practitioners in the NIME community engage with ML techniques, we conducted interviews with seven researchers in the NIME community and analysed them through a thematic analysis. Firstly, we propose findings at the level of the individual, resisting technological determinism and redefining sense making in interactive ML. Secondly, we propose findings at the level of the community, revealing mitigated adoption with respect to ML. This paper aims to provide the community with some reflections on the use of ML in order to initiate a discussion about cultural, political and ethical issues surrounding these techniques as their use grows within the community.
Impact of Sea Surface Temperature Forcing on Weeks 3 and 4 Forecast Skill in the NCEP Global Ensemble Forecasting System

AbstractThe Global Ensemble Forecasting System (GEFS) is being extended from 16 to 35 days to cover the subseasonal period, bridging weather and seasonal forecasts. In this study, the impact of SST forcing on the extended-range land-only global 2-m temperature, continental United States (CONUS) accumulated precipitation, and MJO skill are explored with version 11 of the GEFS (GEFSv11) under various SST forcing configurations. The configurations consist of 1) the operational GEFS 90-day e-folding time of the observed real-time global SST (RTG-SST) anomaly relaxed to climatology, 2) an optimal AMIP configuration using the observed daily RTG-SST analysis, 3) a two-tier approach using the CFSv2-predicted daily SST, and 4) a two-tier approach using bias-corrected CFSv2-predicted SST, updated every 24 h. The experimental period covers the fall of 2013 and the winter of 2013/14. The results indicate that there are small differences in the ranked probability skill scores (RPSSs) between the various SST forcing ex.
Extent of Agroforestry Extension Programs in the United States

An email survey of Extension professionals across the United States was carried out in 2011 to learn about agroforestry Extension programs. The most common agroforestry practices were riparian buffers, windbreaks, and forest farming. Programs provided some degree of effectiveness and success, but numerous obstacles to more widespread adoption were noted. Critical factors include an appreciation of interest in agroforestry, availability of markets and resources such as personnel and funding, having a dedicated program within each state, and having an active schedule of trainings, demonstrations, and other educational opportunities. Extension is in a unique position to facilitate promotion of agroforestry.
Row ratio increasing improved light distribution, photosynthetic characteristics, and yield of peanut in the maize and peanut strip intercropping system

Changes in the canopy microclimate in intercropping systems, particularly in the light environment, have important effects on the physiological characteristics of photosynthesis and yield of crops. Although different row ratio configurations and strip widths of dwarf crops in intercropping systems have important effects on canopy microclimate, little information is available on the effects of intercropping on chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthetic physiological properties of dwarf crops. A 2-year field experiment was conducted in 2019 and 2020, with five treatments: sole maize (SM), sole peanut (SP), four rows of maize intercropping with eight rows of peanut (M4P8), four rows of maize intercropping with four rows of peanut (M4P4), and four rows of maize intercropping with two rows of peanut (M4P2). The results showed that the light transmittance [photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)], photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), and stomatal conductance (Gs) of intercropped peanut canopy were reduced, while the intercellular carbon dioxide concentration (Ci) was increased, compared with SP. In particular, the M4P8 pattern Pn (2-year mean) was reduced by 5.68%, 5.33%, and 5.30%; Tr was reduced by 7.41%, 5.45%, and 5.95%; and Gs was reduced by 8.20%, 6.88%, and 6.46%; and Ci increased by 11.95%, 8.06%, and 9.61% compared to SP, at the flowering needle stage, pod stage, and maturity, respectively. M4P8 improves the content of chlorophyll synthesis precursor and conversion efficiency, which promotes the utilization efficiency of light energy. However, it was significantly reduced in M4P2 and M4P4 treatment. The dry matter accumulation and pod yield of peanut in M4P8 treatment decreased, but the proportion of dry matter distribution in the late growth period was more transferred to pods. The full pod number decreases as the peanut row ratio decreases and increases with year, but there is no significant difference between years. M4P8 has the highest yield and land use efficiency and can be used as a reference row ratio configuration for maize–peanut intercropping to obtain relatively high yield benefits.
Empowering Critical Thinking: The Role of Digital Tools in Citizen Participation

The widespread use of digital technologies and the expansion of social networks has created new communication and meeting spaces where people and social and political actors connect with each other. This opens diverse spaces and possibilities for digital engagement in a more accessible, immediate, continuous, egalitarian, and personalized way. Digital technology facilitates learning, dissemination, and access to information, turning it into a means of communication and fueling the practice of critical thinking. In particular civic critical thinking practices improve the organization and effectiveness of civic networks and spaces for citizen participation, ultimately helping to produce responsible, conscious citizens. This study proposes a series of hypotheses based on the relationships between digital learning, critical thinking and civic participation, and tests them using the technique of structural equation modeling (SEM) with partial least squares (PLS) applied to a sample of 191 primary and secondary school students. The results indicate that digital tools have a positive impact on the development of critical thinking, and this influences citizen participation, transforming people into more engaged citizens of the world with participatory attitudes and values.
Examining Chi-Square Test Statistics Under Conditions of Large Model Size and Ordinal Data

This study examined the effect of model size on the chi-square test statistics obtained from ordinal factor analysis models. The performance of six robust chi-square test statistics were compared across various conditions, including number of observed variables (p), number of factors, sample size, model (mis)specification, number of categories, and threshold distribution. Results showed that the unweighted least squares (ULS) robust chi-square statistics generally outperform the diagonally weighted least squares (DWLS) robust chi-square statistics. The ULSM estimator performed the best overall. However, when fitting ordinal factor analysis models with a large number of observed variables and small sample size, the ULSM-based chi-square tests may yield empirical variances that are noticeably larger than the theoretical values and inflated Type I error rates. On the other hand, when the number of observed variables is very large, the mean- and variance-corrected chi-square test statistics (e.g., based on ULSMV and WLSMV) could produce empirical variances conspicuously smaller than the theoretical values and Type I error rates lower than the nominal level, and demonstrate lower power rates to reject misspecified models. Recommendations for applied researchers and future empirical studies involving large models are provided.
Boundary Regulation Processes and Privacy Concerns With (Non-)Use of Voice-Based Assistants

An exemplar of human-machine communication, voice-based assistants (VBAs) embedded in smartphones and smart speakers simplify everyday tasks while collecting significant data about users and their environment. In recent years, devices using VBAs have continued to add new features and collect more data—in potentially invasive ways. Using Communication Privacy Management theory as a guiding framework, we analyze data from 11 focus groups with 65 US adult VBA users and nonusers. Findings highlight differences in attitudes and concerns toward VBAs broadly and provide insights into how attitudes are influenced by device features. We conclude with considerations for how to address boundary regulation challenges inherent in human-machine interactions.
Assessing the Impact of Immersion on Learning in Medical Students: A Pilot Study Comparing Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Virtual Simulation

Introduction Virtual simulation within health professions education can be categorized as two-dimensional or three-dimensional, dependent upon how users interact with the scenario. A core difference between these two categories is the degree of immersion experienced by the user. The importance of immersion for knowledge-based learning is unclear. Hence, this pilot study compares two virtual simulators to determine the impact of immersion on knowledge acquisition and retention and user experience. Methods This randomized crossover trial consisted of 25 fifth-year medical students attending two consecutive teaching sessions using two-dimensional and three-dimensional virtual simulation, respectively. Multiple-choice questions, completed immediately before and after, and one-month after the sessions, were employed to determine knowledge acquisition and retention. Questionnaires, consisting of Likert-scale and open-ended questions, evaluated user experience. Quantitative data was analyzed using a Student’s t-test and qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Both interventions demonstrated statistically significant levels of knowledge acquisition and retention, though there was no significant difference in the extent of learning between the simulators. The two interventions offered valuable and acceptable approaches to virtual simulation, though Likert-scale responses indicated that participants significantly preferred three-dimensional virtual simulation. Free-form responses revealed themes of education and technology, with subthemes of desirability, learning, curriculum integration, fidelity, hardware and software. Conclusions The findings indicate that higher levels of immersion do not appear to offer greater educational benefit, with two-dimensional simulation possibly offering an equally valuable learning experience to three-dimensional simulation. Participants appeared to significantly prefer three-dimensional virtual simulation, though potential uses for both simulators were identified.
Age Group Differences in the Awareness of Lifestyle Factors Impacting Cardiovascular Risk: A Population-Level Study

Objective: This study evaluated the age-group differences in the levels of awareness of cardiovascular lifestyle risk factors. Methods: Data from 5,219 individuals were analyzed. Age was classified as young, middle-aged, and older adults. Lifestyle factors included smoking, exercise, noting calorie information, and alcohol. The Chi-square (Χ2) test was used to analyze age-group differences in awareness. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between age group and level of awareness. Results: Awareness of at least one lifestyle factor was highest in middle-aged adults at 47.8% (2232/5095), followed by young adults at 32.1% (991/5095) and older adults at 20.1% (1872/5095). The older age group was linked to an increment in the odds ratios (AOR: 1.47, CI: 1.06 to 2.03) of being aware of exercise recommendations. There was a significant association between the middle-aged (AOR 0.74, CI: 0.56 to 0.99) and older-aged (AOR 0.76, CI: 0.58 to 0.99) categories with reduced odds of individuals becoming increasingly aware of the calorie information found in various menu boards and food menus. Conclusion: Middle-aged adults were the most aware of lifestyle risk factors. Middle-aged or older adults are associated with being less aware of calorie information on food menus and menu boards. Further research should evaluate the reasons behind low levels of awareness in younger adults.
Granting Inequities: Racialization and Gender Differences in Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada's Grant Amounts for Research Elites

Abstract:This paper explores inequities in the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRCC) grant amounts awarded to successful applicants in Canada's universities. Specifically, the study seeks to discern whether ethnicity and gender matter for amounts of SSHRCC's award decisions using compiled SSHRCC data and names of successful grant applicants to generate a large sample from 1998 to 2018. Although the importance of ethnicity along with gender and region, as well as institutional factors such as discipline and status of an applicant's university are explored in relation to higher education institutions' applicants, our focus is on effects of racialization on SSHRCC's decisions. We find that several factors affect the amount of grants awarded and that racialized applicants, especially men, have tended to receive less funding than non-racialized applicants over this period. In addition, on the one hand, the grant amount for racialized minorities has decreased in recent years. On the other hand, racialized women applicants received higher grant amounts than their counterparts, and particularly in recent years. Conceptual, empirical, methodological, and policy implications of these findings are discussed. Résumé:Cet article explore les inégalités dans les montants des subventions accordées par le Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada (CRSH) aux candidats retenus dans les universités canadiennes. Plus précisément, l'étude vise à déterminer si l'origine ethnique et le sexe ont une incidence sur le montant des subventions accordées par le CRSH, en utilisant les données compilées du CRSH et les noms des candidats retenus pour générer un vaste échantillon de 1998 à 2018. Bien que l'importance de l'ethnicité, du sexe et de la région, ainsi que des facteurs institutionnels tels que la discipline et le statut de l'université d'un candidat soient explorés par rapport aux candidats des établissements d'enseignement supérieur, nous centrons notre analyse sur les effets de la racialisation dans les décisions du CRSH. Nous postulons que plusieurs facteurs affectent le montant des subventions accordées et que les candidats racialisés, en particulier les hommes, ont tendance à recevoir moins de financement que les candidats non racialisés au cours de cette période. En outre, d'une part, le montant des subventions accordées aux minorités racialisées a diminué au cours des dernières années. D'autre part, les femmes racialisées candidates ont reçu un montant de subvention plus élevé que leurs homologues, en particulier au cours des dernières années. Les implications conceptuelles, empiriques, méthodologiques et politiques de ces résultats sont discutées.
The Case-time-control Method for Nonbinary Exposures

A popular way to reduce confounding in observational studies is to use each study participant as his or her own control. This is possible when both the exposure and the outcome are time varying and have been measured at several time points for each individual. The case-time-control method is a special case, which, under certain assumptions, allows the analyst to control for confounding by time-varying covariates, while controlling for all time-stationary characteristics of the study participants. There are two formulations of the case-time-control method. One formulation requires that the exposure be binary, and the other requires that there be no more than two time points per individual. In this article the author proposes a generalization of the case-time-control method for nonbinary exposures and an arbitrary number of time points. The author derives the asymptotic properties of the resulting estimator and assesses its finite sample properties in a simulation study.
Möbius homogeneous Willmore 2‐spheres

We characterize all Möbius homogeneous 2‐spheres in the conformal n‐sphere as being Möbius congruent to products of minimal Boruvka–Veronese 2‐spheres. Among the latter only the single Boruvka–Veronese 2‐spheres are Willmore and therefore every Möbius homogeneous Willmore 2‐sphere is Möbius congruent to a Boruvka–Veronese 2‐sphere.
Contrast enhanced ultrasound combined with serology predicts hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence: a retrospective observation cohort study

Objectives To construct a novel model based on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and serological biomarkers to predict the early recurrence (ER) of primary hepatocellular carcinoma within 2 years after hepatectomy. Methods A total of 466 patients who underwent CEUS and curative resection between 2016.1. 1 and 2019.1. 1 were retrospectively recruited from one institution. The training and testing cohorts comprised 326 and 140 patients, respectively. Data on general characteristics, CEUS Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) parameters, and serological were collected. Univariate analysis and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to evaluate the independent prognostic factors for tumor recurrence, and the Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound Serological (CEUSS) model was constructed. Different models were compared using prediction error and time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The CEUSS model's performances in ER prediction were assessed. Results The baseline data of the training and testing cohorts were equal. LI-RADS category, α-fetoprotein level, tumor maximum diameter, total bilirubin level, starting time, iso-time, and enhancement pattern were independent hazards, and their hazards ratios were 1.417, 1.309, 1.133, 1.036, 0.883, 0.985, and 0.70, respectively. The AUCs of CEUSS, BCLC,TNM, and CNLC were 0.706, 0.641, 0.647, and 0.636, respectively, in the training cohort and 0.680, 0.583, 0.607, and 0.597, respectively, in the testing cohort. The prediction errors of CEUSS, BCLC, TNM, and CNLC were 0.202, 0.205, 0.205, and 0.200, respectively, in the training cohort and 0.204, 0.221, 0.219, and 0.211, respectively, in the testing cohort. Conclusions The CEUSS model can accurately and individually predict ER before surgery and may represent a new tool for individualized treatment.
Macronutrient regulation in adult spotted‐wing Drosophila and nutritional impacts on susceptibility to three commonly‐used insecticides

Nutrition provides the resources necessary to carry out all the physiological functions organisms require. This has important implications for insect pest management, as polyphagous species can experience considerable nutritional variability, which may impact their response to management tactics. Many studies have shown that dietary protein and carbohydrates play a primary role in insect fitness and that insects regulate their intake of these macronutrients to reach an optimal balance or intake target. Importantly, this intake target can vary across developmental stages, gender, and environmental conditions as physiological requirements change. In this study, we determined the intake target for adult spotted‐wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, an invasive polyphagous fruit pest. We found that adult D. suzukii regulate their intake to meet a 1:4–1:5 protein‐to‐carbohydrate ratio, which is slightly more carbohydrate‐biased than the larval intake target. We also examined the effect of nutritional state on susceptibility to three commonly‐used insecticides by rearing flies on diets with different field‐relevant protein‐to‐carbohydrate ratios and exposing adults to an LC50 dose of zeta‐cypermethrin, spinetoram, or pyrethrin. Overall, female flies had higher survivorship than males, and diet effects varied across insecticides. Diet had no impact in the spinetoram treatments, while the extreme carbohydrate‐ and protein‐biased diets produced the lowest survivorship and reproductive performance in the zeta‐cypermethrin treatments. Survivorship increased with dietary protein in the pyrethrin treatments but reproductive performance did not differ across diets. Our results suggest that tactics, which reduce fly access to dietary protein sources, such as sterilisation, could increase fly susceptibility to insecticides.
Occurrence of entomopathogenic nematodes, Oscheius myriophilus Poinar in Thailand: Preliminary characterization of novel isolates and biological control potential against insect pests

Numerous nematodes in the genus Oscheius possess entomopathogenic abilities. These nematodes also kill their insect hosts by releasing their symbiotic bacteria within 48–72 h. In this study, 12 indigenous isolates of Oscheius myriophilus based on molecular, morphological, and morphometric studies were recovered from different undisturbed soils in Thailand. Moreover, the virulence of 12 O. myriophilus at a rate of 25 IJs/cm2 against fifth‐instar larvae of Galleria mellonella ranged from 56%–86% after 72 h of exposure. Oscheius myriophilus EPNKU40 exhibited the highest efficacy in causing mortality in the insect larvae. It also killed third‐instar larvae of Spodoptera litura and Spodoptera exigua up to 60% after 72 h of exposure. The median lethal concentration (LC50) values of O. myriophilus EPNKU40 against G. mellonella larvae after 48 and 72 h of exposure were 11 and 4 IJs/cm2, respectively. The discovery of O. myriophulus is the first record in Thailand characterized using morphological, morphometric, and molecular diagnostic tools, which have shown lethal effects against insect pests and can later be utilized as biocontrol agents after several comprehensive assessments.
Ellipsis in nevenschikking: voorwaarts deleren maar achterwaarts delen

De constructies I en II behelzen beide voorwaartse samentrekking. De eerste heet voorwaartse conjunctiereductie en betreft de linkerkant van het tweede conjunct. De tweede wordt gapping (Eng.) genoemd en betreft ten minste het finiete werkwoord. (De delen v en w zijn optioneel in (2). ) De derde mogelijkheid heet achterwaartse conjunctiereductie en betreft de rechterkant van het eerste conjunct. Deze laatste constructie is (met name in de Engelstalige literatuur) bekend geworden onder de naam Right Node Raising (RNR), naar een theorie van Postal (1974:125). Ik zal deze term overnemen als descriptieve notie (maar niet de bijbehorende theorie). Bij de bovenstaande indeling zijn onmiddellijk enkele kanttekeningen te plaatsen. Van type I kan men zich afvragen of de veronderstelde ellipsis wel reëel is, afhankelijk van de mogelijkheid dat conjuncten kleiner dan een zin zijn, zoals is aangegeven in (3):