Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chile’s enduring educational segregation: A trend unchanged by different cycles of reform

Socioeconomic segregation continues to be a central issue for education systems in which market-driven reforms have been implemented. This study analyses trends of socioeconomic segregation in Chile (1999 – 2018), considering a period with an absence of policies aimed at reducing segregation (1999 – 2007) and a later stage (2008 – 2015) when measures were implemented with the potential to affect the socioeconomic composition of schools. Results show that the segregation of both disadvantaged and wealthy students increased to extremely high levels during the first period, and has not shown signs of any significant decrease since then. The slight reduction observed in the second period is associated with changes regarding school fees in the private subsidised education sector rather than the selectivity status of the schools. The challenges faced in fostering greater socioeconomic integration within a market-driven educational system are discussed in this article. to the students with missing information. Letter ‘S’ indicates a statistically significant difference between the two values, while ‘NS’ stands for a non-statistically significant difference between them. Data shows that estimates without imputation display lower values in the H -index, suggesting a potential underesti-mation in the levels of segregation. This is particularly acute in years with higher non-response rates to the parents’ questionnaire.
A Methodology for the Development of 1D Reference VS Profiles Compatible with Ground-Motion Prediction Equations: Application to NGA-West2 GMPEs

Site response in ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) is primarily characterized as a function of the time-averaged shear-wave velocity over the top 30 m of the site profile (VS30). Although the use of VS30 as a main site-response predictor parameter is practical, GMPE site adjustments to different target regions or target site conditions require characterization of the GMPE’s rock-site response in terms of host VS profile and host kappa. Regional VS profiles and kappa values have been traditionally used to characterize GMPEs host site conditions. These regional site properties may not reflect the average site response in GMPEs. We present a methodology, based on the quarter-wavelength principles, that allows the derivation of GMPE-compatible host 1D VS profiles and kappa values. This methodology is applied to the Next Generation Attenuation-West2 (NGA-West2) GMPEs to derive GMPE-specific host VS profiles and kappa for western United States (WUS) site conditions with VS30 of 360, 490, 620, 760, and 1100 m/s. This application uses, for input, the GMPEs’ site response in Fourier amplitude spectra domain relative to a reference VS30 of 1000 m/s and requires an assigned VS profile for the reference site condition. The impact of the choice of reference VS profile on the results is not large. Comparisons of the derived GMPE-specific VS profiles for VS30 of 760 m/s show differences in the host VS profiles among the NGA-West2 GMPEs for the same site condition in WUS. Differences are also observed when comparing the derived GMPE-compatible VS profiles with the commonly used profiles for WUS for VS30 of 760 m/s. These differences highlight the importance of using GMPE-compatible VS profiles and kappa in GMPE adjustments and in site-response analyses. Limitations of this approach for soft site conditions are discussed.
Investor sentiment, realized volatility and stock returns

PurposeThis paper examines the relationship between volatility, sentiment and returns in terms of levels and changes for both lower and higher data frequencies using quantile regression (QR) method.Design/methodology/approachIn the first step, the study applies the Granger causality test to understand the causal relationship between realized volatility, returns and sentiment as levels and changes. In the second step, the study employs a QR method to investigate whether investor sentiment and returns can predict realized volatility. This regression method gives robust results irrespective of distributional assumptions and to outliers in the dependent variable.FindingsEmpirical results show that the VIX volatility index is a better fear gauge of market-wide investors' sentiments and has a predictive power for future realized volatility in terms of levels and changes for both higher and lower data frequencies. This study provides evidence that the relationship between realized volatility, investor sentiment and returns, respectively, is not symmetric for all quantiles of QR, as opposed to OLS regression. Furthermore, this work supports the behavioral theory beyond leverage hypothesis in explaining the asymmetric relation between returns and volatility at higher and lower data frequencies.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the limited understanding of investor sentiment’s impact on volatility by proposing a QR model which provides a more complete picture of the relationship at all parts of the volatility distribution for both higher and lower data frequencies and in terms of levels and changes. To the author knowledge, this is the first paper to study the volatility responses to positive and negative sentiment changes for developed market and to use both lower and higher data frequencies as well as data in terms of levels and changes.
Promoting Reflective Ability Through a Comprehensive Field Experience That Combined Video Analysis and Bug-In-Ear Coaching

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of promoting special education teacher candidates’ reflective ability through a comprehensive field experience that combined (a) reflecting-on-action through video analysis with (b) reflecting-in-action through bug-in-ear coaching with real-time feedback. First, we implemented two concurrent single case designed studies to examine the functional relation between the comprehensive field experience and teacher candidates’ reflective ability. Second, we used qualitative methodologies to explore teacher candidates’ perceptions of the record, receive, review, reflect, revise comprehensive reflection cycle as a teacher preparation approach. Overall, special education teacher candidates across both cases (N = 6) improved their reflective ability in relation to engaging in comprehensive reflection activities. Additionally, candidates identified many meaningful benefits of including comprehensive reflection in teacher preparation. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.
Psammichnites gigas from the lower Cambrian of the Mackenzie Mountains, northwest Canada, and their biostratigraphic implications

Abstract New occurrences of Psammichnites gigas are reported from the Mackenzie Mountains, northwest Canada. A locality in the hanging wall of the Plateau Fault, just below the top of the upper member of the Backbone Ranges Formation, demonstrates that the uppermost part of the unit is Tommotian (latter part of Cambrian Age 2) or possibly earliest Atabanian (earliest Cambrian Age 3) in its previously undated proximal manifestation. Localities in the trilobite-bearing Sekwi Formation confirm that Psammichnites gigas can be at least as young as Atdabanian (early to middle parts of Cambrian Age 3) in Laurentia. A review of reported occurrences suggests Psammichnites gigas, and the related ichnotaxa Plagiogmus arcuatus and Taphrelminthopsis circularis, may be valuable for correlations in western Laurentia if their ichnotaxonomic relationships are clarified.
Analyze the Impact of Healthy Behavior on Weight Change with a Mathematical Model using the Harris-Benedict Equations

Background: Lifestyle diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. The gradual increase of negative behavior in humans because of physical inactivity, unhealthy habit, and improper nutrition expedites the growth of lifestyle diseases. Proper lifestyle management in the obesity context may help to reach personal weight goal or maintain a normal weight range with optimization of health behaviors (physical activity, diet, and habits). Objective: In this study, we develop a mathematical model to analyze the impact of regular physical activity, a proper diet, and healthy habits on weight change, targeting obesity as a study case. Followed by, we design an algorithm to verify our proposed model with simulated data and compare it with related proven models based on the defined constrains. Methods: We proposed a weight-change mathematical model as a function of activity, habit, and nutrition with the first law of thermodynamics, basal metabolic rate ( BMR ), total daily energy expenditure ( TDEE ), and body-mass-index ( BMI ) to establish a relationship between health behavior and weight change. Followed by, we verify the model with simulated data and compared it with related established models. In this study, we have used revised Harris-Benedict equations (HB) for BMR and TDEE calculation. Results: The proposed mathematical model showed a strong relationship between health behavior and weight change. We verified the mathematical model with a proposed algorithm using simulated data with defined constraints. The adoption of BMR and TDEE calculation following revised Harris-Benedict equations has beaten the classical Wishnofsky’s rule (3500 cal. ≈ 1 lb.) , and the models proposed by Toumasis et al., Azzeh et. Al., and Mickens et. al. with a standard deviation of ±1.829, ±2.006, ±1.85, and ±1.80, respectively. Conclusions: This study helped us to understand the impact of healthy behavior on weight change with mathematical implications and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. As a future research scope, we wish to use this model in a health eCoach system to generate personalized lifestyle recommendations to optimize health behaviors to accomplish personal weight goals.
How nostalgia forges place attachment and revisit intention: a moderated mediation model

PurposeAnalyzing sport fans' emotions has attracted much attention and offered important implications for research on sport consumer behavior. As such, diverse emotional factors have been considered to understand their behavioral responses. However, the concept of nostalgia has been examined to a lesser extent in the context of sport. Thus, this study investigated the role of nostalgia and its relationships with place attachment and revisit intention. The frequency of past experience was used as a moderator in this study.Design/methodology/approachData collection was performed during six professional baseball games in South Korea, and 461 responses were collected from sport tourists. This study tested the reliability and validity of the measurement model and examined the relationships between constructs.FindingsResults showed that nostalgia positively affected place attachment and revisit intention; place attachment played a mediating role between nostalgia and revisit intention. In addition, this study found that the relationship between nostalgia and place attachment was moderated by past experience.Originality/valueThis study identified how nostalgia can drive the development of a bond between place and sport fans, encouraging them to keep returning to the place where they are attached.
Theoretical Study of Coherent Excitation Energy Transfer in Cryptophyte Phycocyanin 645 at Physiological Temperature

Recent two-dimensional photon-echo experiments suggest that excita- tion energy transfer in light harvesting systems occurs coherently rather than by incoherent hopping. The signature quantum beating of coherent energy transfer has been observed even at ambient temperatures. In this letter, we use an iterative linearized density matrix (ILDM) propagation approach to study this dynamics in a realistic multistate systembath model. Our calculations reproduce the observed 400 fs decoherence time, and studies that vary the system Hamiltonian and structured spectral density describing the chromophore networkprotein environment interac- tions give results that enable us to explore the role of initial coherence in energy transfer efficiency of the model network. Our findings suggest that the initial coherence has only a slight effect on energy transfer in this model system. We explore energy transfer optimization of different chromophores in the network by controlling environmentalproperties.Thisstudypointstotheimportanceofstochasticresonance behavior in determining optimal network throughput.
From hierarchies to markets and partially back again in electricity: responding to decarbonization and security of supply goals

Electric power sectors around the world have changed dramatically in the last 25 years as a result of sector liberalization policies. Many electricity sectors are now pursuing deep decarbonization goals which will entail replacing dispatchable fossil generation primarily with intermittent renewable generation (wind and solar) over the next 20–30 years. This transition creates new challenges for both short-term wholesale market design and investment incentives consistent with achieving both decarbonization commitments and security of supply criteria. Thinking broadly about the options for institutional change from a Williamsonian perspective – thinking like Williamson – provides a useful framework for examining institutional adaptation. Hybrid markets that combine ‘competition for the market’ that relies on competitive procurement for long-term purchased power agreements with wind, solar, and storage developers, ideally in a technology neutral fashion, and ‘competition in the market’ that relies on short-term markets designed to produce efficient and reliable operations of intermittent generation and storage, is identified as a promising direction for institutional adaptation. Many auction, contract, and market integration issues remain to be resolved.
Serum Angiopoietin-2: A Sensitive Inflammatory Marker in Psoriasis Patients

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease associated with comorbidities. Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in psoriasis pathogenesis which contributes to the initial events that trigger an autoimmune inflammatory response. Angiopoietins 1 and 2 are glycoproteins. Their binding to the tyrosine kinase receptor is essential to angiogenesis. Dysregulation of angiopoietins together with angiopoietin-2 overexpression induce vascular destabilization and regression. This study aimed to explore the relationship between systemic angiopoietin-2 and psoriasis severity. A total of 45 psoriasis vulgaris patients and 45 matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The severity of disease was evaluated by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Angiopoietin-2 serum level was measured using enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay. The relation between serum level of angiopoietin-2 and psoriasis severity was assessed. Angiopoietin-2 serum level was significantly more elevated in patients than controls (p<0.001). Angiopoietin-2 serum level was indicatively direct correlated with disease severity (r = 0.7, p < 0.001) with 100% sensitivity and 90.9% specificity in identifying mild and moderate to severe psoriasis patients. Serum angiopoietin-2 directly correlates with psoriasis severity. Angiopoietin-2 is nominated to be a potential sensitive biomarker for the ongoing inflammatory process to monitor the clinical and therapeutic outcomes in psoriasis patients.
Turbiscan as a Tool for Studying the Phase Separation Tendency of Pyrolysis Oil

One of the main obstacles in using pyrolysis oils in heat and power applications is their instability upon storage, which leads to unacceptable quality, from the end user’s point of view. Because of the opaque nature of pyrolysis oils, there are presently many challenges associated with determining their stability. Thus, techniques are needed for the characterization of the phase separation of pyrolysis oils, as well as determining the underlying mechanisms of their instability. Here, we present the application of the Turbiscan technique for the evaluation of phase separation tendency of pyrolysis oils over a period of 24 h at various temperatures, compared to the Karl Fischer method. A well-stored pyrolysis oil from poplar wood and fresh pyrolysis oil from forest residue were used for the investigation. For each of the oils, one batch was diluted with water in order to force phase separation, and a second batch was used without dilution. The study reveals that the Turbiscan technique makes it possible to.
Perception and Attitude of the General Population on the Risk of Infection with SARS-CoV-2

Current state of knowledge on the impact of emotions and perceptions of the population towards the risk of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 should be the basis for disease control measures as well as for community awareness programs. Due to differences in perceptions, concerns, culture, beliefs, different populations may react differently to the same challenges. Ninety adults were interviewed, without symptoms suggestive of SARS-CoV-2 infection, using the Romanian version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. The emotional reactions expressed by various psychotic or mental disorders, the main actions are taken to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the hypothetical illness behavior were investigated. The total score, as well as each item of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, indicates a low-to-moderate emotional level regarding to the risk of coronavirus infection. The data are supported by the choice to be treated at home in case of illness. There are differences in perception between sexes and between professional categories (employees vs. retirees). Knowledge of social phenomena caused by major epidemiological crises such as SARS-CoV-2 infection should be the basis of education, disease prevention and control programs to avoid the occurrence of psychosocial risks in the population.
Enhancing motivation by developing cyclical self-regulated learning skills

ABSTRACT Developing self-regulated learning (SRL) processes (i.e., goal-setting, strategy use, self-monitoring, and attributions) can enhance motivational beliefs including self-efficacy, interest, and task value. In this article, SRL processes and motivation are conceptualized within a cyclical feedback loop, which demonstrates how SRL processes affect motivation for both current and future tasks. Thus, educators can directly teach SRL processes to improve motivation using feasible classroom-based practices and resources.
Learned Image Coding for Machines: A Content-Adaptive Approach

Today, according to the Cisco Annual Internet Report (2018-2023), the fastest-growing category of Internet traffic is machine-to-machine communication. In particular, machine-to-machine communication of images and videos represents a new challenge and opens up new perspectives in the context of data compression. One possible solution approach consists of adapting current human-targeted image and video coding standards to the use case of machine consumption. Another approach consists of developing completely new compression paradigms and architectures for machine-to-machine communications. In this paper, we focus on image compression and present an inference-time content-adaptive fine-tuning scheme that optimizes the latent representation of an end-to-end learned image codec, aimed at improving the compression efficiency for machine-consumption. The conducted experiments targeting instance segmentation task network show that our online finetuning brings an average bitrate saving (BD-rate) of -3.66% with respect to our pretrained image codec. In particular, at low bitrate points, our proposed method results in a significant bitrate saving of -9.85%. Overall, our pretrained-and-then-finetuned system achieves - 30.54% BD-rate over the state-of-the-art image/video codec Versatile Video Coding (VVC) on instance segmentation.
Tourism-led rural gentrification: impacts and residents’ perception

Purpose This study aims to develop a measurement scale of tourism-led rural gentrification from the perspective of rural residents. Design/methodology/approach The procedure for developing the measurement scale included a thorough review of related literature on tourism-led rural gentrification and multiple stages of qualitative and quantitative investigations. A total of 1,080 rural residents in Huzhou and Huangshan participated in the project. The semi-structured interviews and questionnaire were applied to collect the data. This study analyzed the data with the methodologies of exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings The measurement scale developed in this study included seven dimensions: Accelerated Ecological Awareness, Individual Behavior, Rural Economic Development, Enhanced Living Standards, Talents and Demographic Changes, Human and Cultural Shift and Cohesive Community. Research limitations/implications This measurement scale was developed and validated in China and may not be relevant in other contexts. The scale focuses on tourism-led rural gentrification only from the perspective of rural residents. The findings broaden the knowledge on tourism-led rural gentrification by researching the topic from the point of view of rural residents. Practical implications For policymakers and tourism enterprises, this study provides a valuable index for a full understanding of tourism-led rural gentrification. For investors, the research offers insights for priority investments to advance tourism development in rural regions. Originality/value This study is one of the few attempts to empirically measure tourism-led rural gentrification. The results improve on the knowledge about tourism-led rural gentrification in China.
Predicting third-grade academic achievement in low-socioeconomic children: developmental and socio-behavioural influences in kindergarten

ABSTRACT Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the predictive associations between kindergarten developmental, socio-behavioural, and biotic influences on third grade achievement among a nationally representative sample of low-SES children. The findings validate the understanding that developmental and learning trajectories start early in children’s lives and are influenced by multifaceted factors. Findings also elucidated areas where predictive influences were different among low-SES children than they were for the general. Children residing in low-SES homes are at risk for academic and developmental difficulties. Study findings have established that within a low-SES group of children, disparities in early learning and development exist. Understanding the factors that positively and negatively affect learning and development among low-SES children informs intervention strategies that may moderate the gaps that exist in these areas among SES groups as they progress through school. There were several noteworthy findings related to within-SES differences that potentially impact children’s academic trajectories.
A Keypoint Transformer to Discover Spine Structure for Cobb Angle Estimation

Due to the ambiguity and variability of vertebrae in X-ray images, accurate measurement of Cobb angles becomes challenging. Current studies are mainly focused on direct transfer learning from semantic segmentation models or keypoint estimators. We argue that such methods ignore relationships between local vertebrae shapes and the global spine structure. To address the above issue, we propose a multi-task method that ensures the consistency between semantic masks and keypoints and a keypoint Transformer to discover the spine structure. Extensive experiments on anterior-posterior (AP) X-ray images from AASCE MICCAI 2019 Challenge demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method compared to other state-of-the-art models.