Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust Modeling and Planning: Insights from Three Industrial Applications

Abstract Optimization under uncertainty has been a well-studied field, with significant interest generated in this field in the past four decades. This paper is both practical and expository -- its purpose is to: discuss the process of generating robust solutions, highlight issues that arise in practice, and discuss ways to address such issues. For illustrative purposes, we study three different, commonly adopted, approaches for optimization under uncertainty (chance-constrained programming, robust optimization and conditional value at risk); and apply these approaches to three real-world application-based case studies. Our case studies are chosen to span a variety of problem characteristics. For each case study, we discuss the applicability of each of the three approaches, practical issues that arose during application, and robustness and further characteristics of the subsequent solutions. We point out associated advantages and limitations, and illustrate the gap between the theoretical and actual performance of these approaches for each case study. We also discuss how some of the discovered limitations can be overcome using extensions of the approaches or through a better understanding of the data. We conclude by summarizing common and generalizable insights obtained across the three case studies. Our findings suggest the effectiveness of solutions is dependent on: the methods, the size of the problem, the underlying pattern of uncertainty in data, and the metrics of interest. While we provide some guidelines to identify the most suitable approach to a given problem, our experience matches theory to suggest that under carefully tuned parameters accompanied by simulation, the different approaches can generate results that are similar and provide comparable tradeoffs between the mean and robustness metric. However, this could also require considerable tuning requiring experience, and we provide some guidelines to achieve such results. This illustrates that generating high quality robust solutions is both an art and a science.
Training by feel: wearable fitness-trackers, endurance athletes, and the sensing of data

ABSTRACT A wide range of wearable fitness-trackers are currently available that allow users to measure, monitor, visualize, and record numerous training metrics including moving pace, distance traveled, average heart rate, and calories burned. Using qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews with amateur endurance athletes, this paper examines what individuals do with their wearable fitness-trackers and the data they produce. Drawing on the work of Deborah Lupton and Sarah Maslen, we take up the concepts of “data sensing” and the “more-than-human sensorium” to highlight the embodied and sensory dimensions of digital self-tracking. We argue that while much of the appeal of fitness-tracking technologies lies in their ability to generate objective readings of one’s performance, these devices do not supplant less quantifiable and more subjective ways of understanding one’s self. On the contrary, the participants in our study use the quantitative data generated by a fitness-tracker in conjunction with their own self-assessments to gain a more holistic sense of what they are experiencing during training or on race day. For many of our research participants, the fitness-tracker became a central part of their identity and daily routine. Most participants were reluctant to train without their fitness-trackers, even when not preparing for an event.
Public infrastructure and trade in a dynamic two‐country model

We develop a two‐country dynamic trade model with public infrastructure having an “unpaid‐factor”‐type positive externality on private sectors’ productivity. With welfare‐maximizing national governments making infrastructure investment, we show that a country with a smaller labor endowment, a lower depreciation rate of infrastructure, and/or a lower time preference rate will become an exporter of a good that is more dependent on infrastructure and will gain from trade, whereas its trading partner may lose from trade. We consider both the nonstrategic governments case and the case of strategic governments that recognize the effect on the terms of trade.
Developmental Effects of Parent–Child Separation

Parent–child separation occurs for many reasons, both involuntary and voluntary. We review the effects on children and youth of parent–child separation due to several of the most common reasons that are responsible for the growth in this family circumstance worldwide. These include early institutionalization; war, persecution, and conflict; separation during asylum; trafficking; conscription into armed conflict; and being left behind when parents migrate for economic or other reasons. Overall, the effects of parent–child separation are consistently negative on children's social-emotional development, well-being, and mental health. They are more severe when the separation is prolonged or accompanied by other forms of deprivation or victimization. Mitigating and protective factors include earlier stable family placement in the case of early institutionalization, parent–child communication and parenting quality, and community support in the host community. We conclude with an evaluation of group, school-based, and community-based interventions for children and youth affected by parent–child separation.
Effect of Process Parameters on the Surface Quality of Machined Aluminum and Steel Products

In a turning process, surface roughness depends on machining process parameters. The aim in this work is to improve the quality of the machined surface of the by controlling the main input parameters of the turning process for aluminum and steel materials. The effect of the machining parameters on surface roughness was studied using the orthogonal L9 Taguchi method. Four process parameters chosen were the length of the specimen (L), diameter of the specimen (D), feed rate (F), and depth of cut (T). The optimization method was performed using the signal to calculate noise ratio (S / N) for the changing response of all experiments. The results were analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The main conclusion of this work is that F and T are the most important factors and can influence the machined surface quality in terms of surface roughness, whereas the other factors are insignificant. The minimum surface roughness for aluminum is 1.03 μm and 5.02 μm for steel specimens, which were obtained using a more suitable set of parameters with values of T 0.5 mm, F 0.5 RPM. , L1000 mm, and D 40 mm.
Processes and drivers of Prosopis invasions in Eastern Africa

Proper taxonomic identification of invasive alien species is crucial to detect new incursions, prevent or reduce the arrival of new invaders and implement management options such as biological control. Globally, the taxonomy of alien Prosopis species is problematic due to misidentification of initial introductions as well as hybridisation between the introduced species. Here, a global genetic analysis was carried out on diverse Prosopis species from both native and non-native populations to clarify the taxonomic placement of invasive populations, with a special focus on Prosopis invasions in Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania). DNA sequencing data from chloroplast markers confirmed high phylogenetic similarity (almost 100%) between all species analysed. Analysis based on seven nuclear microsatellites confirmed weak population genetic structure between Prosopis species at a global level. Inter-specific hybridization and incidences of polyploidy were recorded in both native and non-native areas. I found tetraploid P. juliflora to be highly differentiated from the rest of the (diploid) species within the genus. The population genetic analysis indicated that invasive genotypes of P. juliflora in Kenya and Ethiopia could have a similar native origin from Mexico, while Tanzanian introductions probably occurred from a different source. Genotypes of P. pallida in non-native areas of Kenya and Hawaii showed high similarity with native Peruvian P. pallida populations. Levels of introduced genetic diversity, relative to native areas, indicated that multiple introductions of P. juliflora and P. pallida occurred to Eastern Africa. The lack of genetic differentiation between some species from the native range supports the notion that hybridization between allopatric species may occur frequently when they are cointroduced into new ranges. Polyploidy is proposed as a significant mechanism that facilitates Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za
Detection of ISAba1 in Acinetobacter baumannii Strains Carrying OXA Genes Isolated From Iranian Burns Patients

Background: The presence of carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii has become a growing concern in patients who are hospitalized in burns centers. Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and prevalence of blaOXA carbapenemases, as well as to detect the presence of ISAba1, in A. baumannii strains carrying OXA genes obtained from burns patients at Shahid Motahari hospital, Tehran, Iran. Methods: From August 2013 to March 2014, 100 clinical A. baumannii isolates were collected from patients who were admitted to the burns ward at Shahid Motahari hospital. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using a disc diffusion test. PCR, sequencing, and multiplex PCR were used for the detection of blaOXA-23-like, blaOXA-51-like, blaOXA-24-like, and blaOXA-58-like genes, which were then sequenced. The ISAba1 gene was detected, and PCR was performed to detect the presence of ISAba1/blaOXA-51-like and ISAba1/blaOXA-23-like genes. Results: The results showed that 93% of the strains were multi-drug resistant, while 82% of them were extensively drug resistant according to the clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI) guidelines. Additionally, all the strains carried blaOXA-23-like and blaOXA-51-like genes, while 74% and 0% of the strains harbored blaOXA-24-like and blaOXA-58 genes, respectively. ISAba1 was detected in all the strains except for one. The co-existence of ISAba1/blaOXA-51-like genes and ISAba1/blaOXA-23-like genes was detected in 65% and 80% of strains, respectively. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the emergence of OXA-type carbapenemases in A. baumannii causing nosocomial infections in burns patients could be of importance for hospital infection control systems in Iran.
Estimation of a Nonparametric model for Bond Prices from Cross-section and Time series Information

We develop estimation methodology for an additive nonparametric panel model that is suitable for capturing the pricing of coupon-paying government bonds followed over many time periods. We use our model to estimate the discount function and yield curve of nominally riskless government bonds. The novelty of our approach is the combination of two different techniques: cross-sectional nonparametric methods and kernel estimation for time varying dynamics in the time series context. The resulting estimator is used for predicting individual bond prices given the full schedule of their future payments. In addition, it is able to capture the yield curve shapes and dynamics commonly observed in the fixed income markets. We establish the consistency, the rate of convergence, and the asymptotic normality of the proposed estimator. A Monte Carlo exercise illustrates the good performance of the method under different scenarios. We apply our methodology to the daily CRSP bond market dataset, and compare ours with the popular Diebold and Li (2006) method.
Differences in callosal and subcortical volumes and associated neurobehavioural deficits in children with prenatal alcohol exposure

Certain high-risk communities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa where heavy maternal prenatal alcohol consumption is perpetuated by historical and societal challenges, have some of the highest prevalence rates of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the world. FAS has lifelong behavioural and cognitive consequences. Neuroimaging research aims to link deficits in brain structure and function to behavioural outcomes. Manual tracing is considered the gold standard of neuroanatomical volumetric analysis. Combined with neurobehavioural testing it can provide links between structure and function, but is time consuming and labour intensive. Automated segmentation programmes, such as FreeSurfer, are a faster alternative. The challenge is creating automated programmes that can provide results that are comparable to manual tracing, especially in a clinical sample. The aims of this thesis were to investigate (1) the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on the sizes of the caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus and corpus callosum (CC) and potential relations of regional volumes with IQ and verbal learning, (2) to compare the performance of manual and automated segmentation methods in identifying alcohol-related changes in brain morphometry, and (3) to examine the effects of PAE on inter-hemispheric transfer during adolescence and potential relations of CC size with inter-hemispheric transfer deficits. Participants for this project were recruited from the Cape Town Longitudinal Cohort for whom alcohol exposure data were gathered prospectively from the mothers during pregnancy using the timeline follow-back approach. Participants had been diagnosed previously by two expert dysmorphologists as either control, non-syndromal heavily exposed (HE), partial FAS (PFAS) or FAS. High-resolution T1-weighted images were acquired using a sequence optimized for morphometric neuroanatomical analysis on a Siemens 3T Allegra MRI scanner for 71 right-handed children (9 FAS, 19 PFAS, 24 HE and 19 non-exposed controls) from this cohort at ages 9-11 years. Bilateral caudate nuclei, nucleus accumbens and hippocampi and the CC were manually traced using Multitracer. FreeSurfer was used for automated segmentation. All structures were segmented with both FreeSurfer versions 5.1 and 6.0 to compare progress within development of automated segmentation algorithms. Associations of volumes from manual tracing with IQ and performance on the California Verbal Learning Test-Children’s Version (CVLT-C) were also examined. Inter-hemispheric transfer was assessed using a finger localization task (FLT) administered to 74 participants (12 FAS, 16
Investigating the Relationship between Neural Sensory Gateways and Creative Performance Using Convergent and Divergent Tasks

ABSTRACT The question of what type of attention is associated with creative potential has predominantly been examined using divergent thinking tasks and without the benefits of cognitive neuroscience methods. To address this gap, we rely on a neural approach by indexing attention using the P50 ERP component. The P50 measures sensory gating, which is the brain’s ability to filter out or inhibit responses to repeated stimuli. We analyze the relationships between neural responses to P50 and performance on two tasks designed to measure creative potential: a convergent task and a divergent task. While we did not find evidence of a relationship between attention and the originality component of divergent thinking, our results show that leaky attention was positively associated with the fluency component of divergent thinking but negatively associated with performance on the convergent thinking task. This result highlights that the relationship between attention and performance on creative tasks may depend on the type of task.
Integrated model predictive fault-tolerant control, and fault detection based on the parity space approach for a reverse osmosis desalination unit

Actuator faults are inevitable in small reverse osmosis desalination plants. It may cause energy losses and reduce the quality of the freshwater, which may endanger human life. This paper focuses on the integrated fault detection and fault-tolerant control approach. The primary motivation of this paper is to propose a novel integrated fault detection and fault-tolerant control approach. The actuator fault is estimated using the concept of parity space approach. Then the system model is updated in the fault-tolerant control block using the information of the estimated fault parameter. Moreover, the proposed approach uses the receding-horizon predictive control-bounded data uncertainties controller, which is the robust and stable variant of generalized predictive control. The remaining uncertainty caused by the model and observer is compensated by this controller. The structure of a small reverse osmosis desalination plant is deployed. In this plant, the permeate flow rate and conductivity are controlled by a retentate valve and a bypass valve, which add a small amount of inlet to the outlet. The performances of three predictive model controllers are evaluated, and a comparison is made between their computational costs, stability, and robustness. The plant is considered to be linear time-invariant and subject to model uncertainties, measurement noise, and actuator fault in the retentate valve as efficiency dropping. The results reveal the robustness of the proposed approach concerning noise and matched uncertainties as well as its accommodation to actuator fault up to 90%.
E-cigarette use among US adolescents: Perceptions of relative addiction and harm

Objective: Between 2013 and 2014, past 30-day use of e-cigarettes increased from 4.5% to 13.4% among US high school students aged 9–19 years. We sought to examine the influence of perceived addiction and harm of e-cigarettes on e-cigarette use among adolescents. Design: Self-reported use and perception of harm of e-cigarettes were assessed using a cross-sectional design. Setting: Data were collected from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Method: Multivariate logistic regression models were employed regressing lifetime e-cigarette use and past 30-day use on established covariate factors. Results: Perceiving e-cigarettes as less harmful than conventional cigarettes increased students’ odds of lifetime use (odds ratio [OR] = 2.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.98–2.90) and past 30-day use (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.63–2.92) of e-cigarettes. Perceiving e-cigarettes as less addictive than conventional cigarettes also increased students’ odds of lifetime use (OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.82–2.45) and past 30-day use (OR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.57–2.38) of e-cigarettes; however, perceiving e-cigarettes as more addictive than conventional cigarettes also increased students’ odds of lifetime use (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.37–2.49) and past 30-day use (OR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.84–3.90) of e-cigarettes. Other influencing factors of e-cigarette use among youth included race, grade level, living with a smoker and lifetime use of regular cigarettes. Conclusion: The perception that e-cigarettes are less addictive and harmful than their conventional counterparts may be an important risk factor for the use of e-cigarettes. Factors influencing young people’s perceptions need to be examined further.
Policy Recommendations to Guide the Use of Telemedicine in Primary Care Settings: An American College of Physicians Position Paper

Hilary Daniel, BS, and Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JD, for the Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians* Telemedicine—the use of technology to deliver care at a distance—is rapidly growing and can potentially expand access for patients, enhance patient–physician collaboration, improve health outcomes, and reduce medical costs. However, the potential benefits of telemedicine must be measured against the risks and challenges associated with its use, including the absence of the physical examination, variation in state practice and licensing regulations, and issues surrounding the establishment of the patient–physician relationship. This paper offers policy recommendations for the practice and use of telemedicine in primary care and reimbursement policies associated with telemedicine use. The positions put forward by the American College of Physicians highlight a meaningful approach to telemedicine policies and regulations that will have lasting positive effects for patients and physicians.
Health Literacy in Dentistry Among Undergraduate Students in Indonesia

Oral health literacy is an emerging focus of public health research and has been found to be an important predictor of oral health outcomes. Data on oral health literacy in Indonesia, which is the world’s 4th most populous country is absent from the literature. The objective of this pilot study was to develop an Indonesian version of the Health Literacy in Dentistry (HeLD) instrument and to analyze its reliability among undergraduate students. The HeLD questionnaire was back translated into Indonesian. The 29 items of the HeLD scale were used to assess the components of oral health literacy. The reliability of the HeLD domains (receptivity, understanding, support, economic barriers, access, communication and utilization) were evaluated in undergraduate students from the University of Indonesia. Three hundred and eighty one students completed the questionnaire. The mean total HeLD score was 3.3±0.57. Oral health literacy was higher among female students and those studying in health-related fields. All domains had high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.94). The Spearman's correlation coefficients between the seven domains of HeLD were significant (all p<0.001). The Indonesian version of the HeLD appears to be a reliable instrument. Future studies should complement its psychometric testing and extend its application to various communities.
New Insights in Intracerebral Hemorrhage

The Abstract is essential. It should be printed on a separate page (up to 200 words; any abbreviations must be explained) and structured as follows: Background: Rationale and purpose of the study. Methods: How the study was performed (samples and/or population, procedures, analytical methods). Results: The main findings with specific data and their statistical significance, when applicable. Conclusions: A succinct interpretation of the data presented. Abstracts of Reviews: Should be divided into the following subsections: Background, Summary and Key Messages. The Background should provide a brief clinical context for the review and is followed by the Summary, which should include a concise description of the main topics covered in the text. The Key Messages encapsulate the main conclusions of the review.s of Reviews: Should be divided into the following subsections: Background, Summary and Key Messages. The Background should provide a brief clinical context for the review and is followed by the Summary, which should include a concise description of the main topics covered in the text. The Key Messages encapsulate the main conclusions of the review. Text: The following are typical main headings used in the text: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Abbreviations must be defined where first mentioned in the abstract and the main text. Footnotes: Avoid using footnotes in the text. When essential, they are numbered consecutively and typed at