Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring the extent of ICT adoption among secondary school teachers in Malaysia

Since year 2003, a wide range of ICT such as laptop, LCD projectors, trolley with speaker and UBS system, as well as software like power point, flash and interactive courseware have been used to support teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science throughout schools in Malaysia. In some schools, extra effort has been made to provide additional facilities like computer laboratories, wireless internet connection and local area network to assist teachers’ in their teaching and professional tasks. Ideally, teachers should be very receptive toward the adoption and implementation of ICT in education. Effective use of ICT with multimedia and graphics for example, enriches teaching and enhance interactivity in learning. With a large investment in the ICT infrastructure, and increased emphasis on the use of ICT in teaching, teachers are expected to be competent and effective in utilizing these tools. However, are all teachers ready and making full use of the ICT in schools? To what extent are teachers utilizing ICT tools in schools, how have they perceived their competency to be and what are their specific training and support needs, if any? The paper aimed to examine these issues. Surprisingly, results indicated that elderly teachers were eager to adopt ICT in schools. They were receptive to ICT and reported a high extent of ICT use in teaching and professional job. In general, teachers held a reasonably positive attitude towards ICT adoption in school, and those who received either prior to and on the job training recorded a higher competency in ICT. Respondents who were more competent in using computers reported more favorable perception towards ICT. On top of these, teachers who have been using ICT extensively in their daily routines still indicate high training and support needs. Respondents also felt that among the various stakeholders, teachers as the classroom practitioners should have a greater say in deciding how ICT is being used in schools.
Discussion and evaluation of the updated UTAUT Model in IAMSs

The modern world is populated with a great many physical and virtual IAMS (Identity Access Management Systems), where people need to maintain various login credentials. There is a key issue associated with this approach, which is the ability to remember this information; however, this can be circumvented to some degree through utilising an innovative approach of a single sign-in mechanism. Throughout the course of recent times, a number of different systems have been developed in order to deliver both virtual and physical IAMS. Moreover, in addition to a greater level of awareness to ensure interoperable virtual and physical IAMS are implemented, there is a pressing urgency for clear guidelines to be devised relating to the integration of: security, comprising identity; user experience, involving usability; and acceptability, encompassing accessibility. Very few models adhere to such guidelines; therefore, this paper seeks to deal with the pressing need to devise, implement and evaluate a model for acceptable user experience, enabling the successful integration of physical and virtual public services in an e-government context. In regard to the users’ assessment, which tests the suggested Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), it was observed that there is an indirect impact on behavioural intention to utilise a new prototype system (Ubiquitous Identity Access Management System ”UbIAMS” ) through various factors, namely effort expectancy, performance expectancy and social influence, as well as through items relating to acceptability and user experience.
Methodological Quality of User-Centered Usability Evaluation of Ambient Assisted Living Solutions: A Systematic Literature Review

This study aimed to determine the methodological quality of user-centered usability evaluation of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) solutions by (i) identifying the characteristics of the AAL studies reporting on user-centered usability evaluation, (ii) systematizing the methods, procedures and instruments being used, and (iii) verifying if there is evidence of a common understanding on methods, procedures, and instruments for user-centered usability evaluation. An electronic search was conducted on Web of Science, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore databases, combining relevant keywords. Then, titles and abstracts were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the full texts of the eligible studies were retrieved and screened for inclusion. A total of 44 studies were included. The results show a great heterogeneity of methods, procedures, and instruments to evaluate the usability of AAL solutions and, in general, the researchers fail to consider and report relevant methodological aspects. Guidelines and instruments to assess the quality of the studies might help improving the experimental design and reporting of studies on user-centered usability evaluation of AAL solutions.
Design, Build and Validation of a Small Scale Combustion Chamber Testing Facility

Abstract : This study investigated the design parameters necessary for the construction and use of a testing facility built to test the combustor section of engines. User inputs were acquired by interview and used in the decisions made in arrangement of pieces of machinery and how different systems were to interact. The design was then carried out as the various parts of the facility were built and installed. Software was designed which controlled the different parts of the combustion process and monitored the different products of combustion as well as the properties of the air and fuel used in the combustion. These measurements were analyzed to determine the efficiency of combustion in the combustor. All systems and measurements were conducted and operated while following the guidance set forth in SAE ARP 1256. Safeguard systems were also designed into the facility to maintain a safe work environment for the user. These safeguards include automatic fuel shut-offs, heater shut-offs, and general system power downs. While the system was originally designed to handle the testing of a planar 2-D combustion chamber, the labs now have the capability to analyze any type of system that requires a combustion analyzer that follows SAE ARP 1256, a system that requires heated air or fuel, a system that requires an exhaust system to pull gasses out of the testing area, or a system that needs open flame. These additional capabilities allow further research to be conducted on site with an increase in ability to report different results.
Dynamic analysis of a wind turbine blade

The world is running out of conventional energy sources and there is a pressing need of utilizing non-traditional energy sources to endure the ever escalating energy needs. Wind turbines provide an alternative way of generating energy from the power of wind. At windy places, wind speeds can achieve scintillating values of 10-12 m/s. Such high speeds of wind can be utilized to harness energy by installing a wind turbine usually having 3 blades. The geometry of the blades is made as such that it generates lift from the wind and thus rotates. The lift force generates a moment around the hub and thus the combined torque effort of 3 blades rotates the turbine and generates electricity. Rotational speed of the blades is usually 6 times that of wind speed. In this project, validation of a beam (a geometrical approximation of a blade) in vibration analysis is taken up first. The natural frequencies are matched with a published research paper and then an actual blade geometry is taken up to validate its 1st 3 natural frequencies with a published research paper and then a CFD analysis is taken up to find the lift and drag forces on the blade and subsequently these forces are used to calculate the fatigue life of the blade. Suitable materials for different parts of the blade are taken to see which combination of materials gives better results.
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Families’ Mental Health: The Role Played by Parenting Stress, Parents’ Past Trauma, and Resilience

International research has evidenced the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families, and the key role played by parenting stress levels. Although significant associations with parents’ past trauma and resilience have been shown, this study aimed to explore their complex interplay on the relationship between parents’ peritraumatic distress due to COVID-19, parenting stress, and children’s psychopathological difficulties. We recruited 353 parents with children aged two to 16 years via an online survey during the Italian second wave of COVID-19. Parents’ peritraumatic distress due to COVID-19, parenting stress, past trauma and resilience, and children’s psychological difficulties were assessed through self-report and report-form questionnaires. Parents’ past traumas significantly predicted peritraumatic distress due to COVID-19 and children’s psychological difficulties. The relationship between past traumas and children’s psychological difficulties was serial mediated by parents’ peritraumatic distress and parenting stress. Direct and total effects of parent’s resilience on parent’s peritraumatic distress were not significant, but there were significant indirect effects via parenting stress and via parents’ peritraumatic distress and parenting stress, indicating inconsistent mediation. This study evidenced the key risk and protective role played by, respectively, parents’ past traumas exposure and resilience on the relationship between parents’ psychological difficulties due to COVID-19, parenting stress, and children’s psychological difficulties, with important clinical implications.
Case Study: The Acceptance of XYZ Bank’s Mobile Banking Application Using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Nowadays, it is common for public to use information technology to support each daily needs, such as mobile banking application. One of largest bank in Indonesia, XYZ Bank provided mobile banking application to support customer in doing financial and banking transaction. The case study was done to examine the customer’s acceptance of XYZ Bank’s mobile banking application by using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), in order to provide information regarding factors affecting customer’s preference in using mobile banking application and improve XYZ Bank’s mobile banking application. This study was using quantitative research strategy, in which data was collected by conducting online survey towards XYZ Bank customer. Questionnaire was given in 5 point-scale. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was conducted to examine the effect between variables, such as: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude towards using, behavioral intention, actual use, and trust. The researcher found that all indicators are reliable, based on its Cronbach’s Alpha value which ranges between 0.725 (actual use) and 0.924 (perceived ease of use). Data validity was tested and shows the Chi-square difference ranges from 69.716 (between trust and perceived usefulness) to 106.715. As conclusion, researcher concluded that all hypotheses are accepted and each variable had positive effect towards other variable.
Aboveground Biomass of Living Trees Depends on Topographic Conditions and Tree Diversity in Temperate Montane Forests from the Slătioara-Rarău Area (Romania)

The study zone includes one of the largest montane old-growth forests in Europe (Slatioara UNESCO site), and understanding the structure and functioning of sill intact forests in Europe is essential for grounding management strategies for secondary forests. For this reason, we set out to analyze the dependencies between aboveground biomass (AgB), tree species and size diversity and terrain morphology, as well as the relationship between biomass and diversity, since neither of these issues have been sufficiently explored. We found that tree species diversity decreases with increased solar radiation and elevation. Tree size heterogeneity reaches its highest mean values at elevations between 1001 and 1100 m, on slopes between 50 and 60 degrees. AgB is differentiated with elevation; the highest mean AgB (293 tonnes per hectare) is recorded at elevations between 801 and 900 m, while it decreases to 79 tonnes per hectare at more than 1500 m a.s. l. It is also influenced by tree species diversity and tree size heterogeneity, with the highest AgB reached in the most complex forest ecosystems in terms of structural diversity. We showed that intact temperate montane forests develop maximum biomass for optimum species diversity and highest size heterogeneity; all three are modulated mainly by elevation.
Mangiferin and Hesperidin Transdermal Distribution and Permeability through the Skin from Solutions and Honeybush Extracts (Cyclopia sp.)—A Comparison Ex Vivo Study

Polyphenolic compounds—mangiferin and hesperidin—are, among others, the most important secondary metabolites of African shrub Cyclopia sp. (honeybush). The aim of this study was to compare the percutaneous absorption of mangiferin and hesperidin from solutions (water, ethanol 50%, (v/v)) and extracts obtained from green and fermented honeybush (water, ethanol 50%, (v/v)). Research was performed with the Bronaugh cells, on human dorsal skin. The mangiferin and hesperidin distributions in skin layers (stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis) and in acceptor fluid (in every 2, 4, 6, and 24 h) were evaluated by HPLC–Photodiode Array Coulometric and Coulometric Electrochemical Array Detection. The transdermal distribution of hesperidin was also demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy. Results indicated that mangiferin and hesperidin were able to cross the stratum corneum and penetrate into the epidermis and dermis. An advantage of hesperidin penetration into the skin from the water over ethanol solution was observed (451.02 ± 14.50 vs. 357.39 ± 4.51 ng/cm2), as well as in the mangiferin study (127.56 ± 9.49 vs. 97.23 ± 2.92 ng/cm2). Furthermore, mangiferin penetration was more evident from nonfermented honeybush ethanol extract (189.85 ± 4.11 ng/cm2) than from solutions. The permeation of mangiferin and hesperidin through the skin to the acceptor fluid was observed regardless of whether the solution or the honeybush extract was applied. The highest ability to permeate the skin was demonstrated for the water solution of hesperidin (250.92 ± 16.01 ng/cm2), while the hesperidin occurring in the extracts permeated in a very low capacity. Mangiferin from nonfermented honeybush ethanol extract had the highest ability to permeate to the acceptor fluid within 24 h (152.36 ± 8.57 ng/cm2).
High-Speed Active Quench and Reset Circuit for SPAD in a Standard 65 nm CMOS Technology

A compact high-speed active quench and reset (AQR) circuit integrated with a p+/n-well single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) is designed and fabricated in a standard 65 nm CMOS technology. The post-layout simulations showed that the quenching time for this AQR circuit is only 0.1 ns, and the smallest dead time is 3.35 ns which corresponds a maximum count rate of ~300 Mcps. The measurements showed that the SPAD pixel achieved a dark count rate of 21 kHz, a peak photon detection probability of 23.8% at a 420 nm wavelength and a timing jitter of 139 ps (using a 405 nm pulsed laser) when the excess voltage was 0.5 V. Also, due to the short quenching time, negligible afterpulsing was observed during the measurements.
Cellular irinotecan resistance in colorectal cancer and overcoming irinotecan refractoriness through various combination trials including DNA methyltransferase inhibitors: a review

Treatment with pharmacological drugs for colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unsatisfactory. A major cause of failure in pharmacotherapy is the resistance of colon cancer cells to the drugs, creating an urgent issue. In this review, we summarize previous studies on the resistance of CRC cells to irinotecan and discuss possible reasons for refractoriness. Our review presents the following five major causes of irinotecan resistance in human CRC: (1) cellular irinotecan resistance is induced mainly through the increased expression of the drug efflux transporter, ABCG2; (2) cellular irinotecan resistance is also induced in association with a nuclear receptor, pregnane/steroid X receptor (PXR/SXR), which is enriched in the CYP3A4 gene enhancer region in CRC cells by exposing the cells to SN-38; (3) irinotecan-resistant cells possess either reduced DNA topoisomerase I (Top1) expression at both the mRNA and protein levels or Top1 missense mutations; (4) alterations in the tumor microenvironment lead to drug resistance through intercellular vesicle-mediated transmission of miRNAs; and (5) CRC stem cells are the most difficult targets to successfully treat CRC. In the clinical setting, CRC gradually develops resistance to initially effective irinotecan-based therapy. To solve this problem, several clinical trials, such as irinotecan plus cetuximab vs. cetuximab monotherapy, have been conducted. Another clinical trial on irinotecan plus guadecitabine, a DNA-methyltransferase inhibitor, has also been conducted.
Elbow Meter Performance [with Discussion]

Piezometric-Head Distribution designing water treatment facilities, some engineers have specified that certain elbows in the plant piping system be tapped, before installation, for possible future use as elbow meters. Although a distinct, reliable headdischarge relationship will be obtained for a given elbow meter installation, a 'ligh degree of accuracy can normally be assured only when the meter is calibrated in place. The head-discharge relationship is a function of bend and cross-section radii and is affected by ? he location of piezometer taps, upstream and downstream piping, and probably surface roughness and other factors.
Family Forest Owners’ Expectations and Perceptions of Service Quality in Timber Transactions in Sweden

In Sweden, 59% of the annual gross felling takes place in forests owned by family forest owners (FFOs). Forest companies conduct thousands of timber transactions with FFOs each year, and, most often, harvesting services are provided to them as part of the deal. Delivering services that meet the FFOs’ expectations of quality is important for any organization that wants FFOs to be loyal suppliers. The objectives of this study are to clarify FFOs’ service quality expectations in timber transactions, show how well forest companies meet these expectations, and identify factors that may influence FFOs’ quality assessments. Data were collected through a survey sent out to 973 FFOs, with a response rate of 43% (n = 418). The results show that, on average, FFOs perceived that the quality of the services delivered in relation to their latest timber transaction met their expectations on 2 out of 14 quality features: modern equipment (e.g., forest machines) and staff’s courtesy towards the FFO. The study concludes that skilled and service-minded employees are highly important for maintaining good relationships with FFOs and that forest companies may have a lot to gain by improving communication and taking the interests of the FFOs into greater consideration.
When give-back turns to blowback: Employee responses to learning from skills-based volunteering

Abstract Skills-based volunteering programs are designed by organizations to enable their employees to donate their job-related skills and develop new ones, while making a positive difference in the community. Although skills-based volunteering is one of the fastest growing trends in corporate citizenship, we know little about how employees respond to it. Using interview data from a financial institution (volunteering managers, n = 2; employee volunteers, n = 27), we explored this research question: How do employees react when volunteering is framed as an avenue for learning? Our findings show that one-third of volunteers expressed anger or defensiveness and ultimately rejected the notion of learning from volunteering; two-thirds reacted with curiosity, using the interview process to make sense of what they learned. These two groups of volunteers reported different attributions about why their firm supports volunteering. Whereas the former group was cynical about their firm’s motivations, the latter believed that the firm’s intentions were altruistic. However, not all of the participants fit neatly into this pattern; for a minority, manager support for volunteering altered the relationship between attributions and acknowledgement of learning. The key contribution of this paper is a theoretical model that explains how employees respond when volunteering is framed as a forum for learning.
Continuous remote emissions monitoring - the lynchpin for air quality management

Diesel particulate matter (DPM), in particular, has been likened in a somewhat inflammatory manner to be the ‘next asbestos’. From the business change perspective, there are three areas holding the industry back from fully engaging with the issue: 1. There is no real feedback loop in any operational sense to assess the impact of investment or application of controls to manage diesel emissions. 2. DPM are getting ever smaller and more numerous, but there is no practical way of measuring them to regulate them in the field. Mass, the current basis of regulation, is becoming less and less relevant. 3. Diesel emissions management is generally wholly viewed as a cost, yet there are significant areas of benefit available from good management. This paper discusses a feedback approach to address these three areas to move the industry forward. The six main areas of benefit from providing a feedback loop by continuously monitoring diesel emissions have been identified: 1. Condition-based maintenance. Emissions change instantaneously if engine condition changes. 2. Operator performance. An operator can use a lot more fuel for little incremental work output through poor technique or discipline. 3. Vehicle utilisation. Operating hours achieved and ratios of idling to under power affect the proportion of emissions produced with no economic value. 4. Fuel efficiency. This allows visibility into other contributing configuration and environmental factors for the vehicle. 5. Emission rates. This allows scope to directly address the required ratio of ventilation to diesel emissions. 6. Total carbon emissions - for NGER-type reporting requirements, calculating the emissions individually from each vehicle rather than just reporting on fuel delivered to a site.
HYDROFOIL FLUTTER PHENOMENON AND AIRFOIL FLUTTER THEORY. VOLUME III. SWEEP AND TAPER.

Abstract : Measured decay rates and flutter speeds for a twodegree-of-freedom hydrofoil model with sweep or taper do not agree with the decay rates and flutter speeds predicted by two-dimensional strip theory, whereas the measured and predicted frequencies are in agreement. Calculations based on the two-dimensional strip theory show that increasing sweep angle or decreasing taper yields higher flutter speeds as well as higher values of the critical density ratio. It is shown that flutter-speed predictions based on quasi-steady representations of the unsteady hydrodynamic forces are not valid. (Author)
Statistical inference of varying-coefficient partial functional spatial autoregressive model

Abstract In this paper, based on spatial autoregression and partial functional linear regression, we introduce a new varying-coefficient partial functional spatial autoregressive model. The functional principal component analysis and B-spline are adopted to approximate the slope function and varying-coefficient functions respectively. Then, the instrumental variable method gives final estimators. Under some regular conditions, we further study the asymptotic normality of the parameter and the convergence rates of slope function and coefficient functions. Lastly, the finite sample performance of the proposed methodology is evaluated by simulation studies and a practical data example.