Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Three Traffic Management Plans Showing Shadow and Police Vehicle Effects on Driver Behavior at Highway Single Lane Closures

Lane closures on multi-lane roads require drivers to transition safely to an open lane before passing the worksite. To reduce worker and driver injury risk, truck-mounted attenuators (TMAs) are often used to prevent vehicle work zone intrusions and reduce the severity of collisions. To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of TMA use, it is necessary to determine how and when they should be deployed as well as the best supporting measures. The current research focuses on the effects of different traffic management plans (TMPs) on driver behavior. Three TMPs at night time highway work zones were examined: (1) two tail vehicles in the advance warning area, (2) three tail vehicles in the advance warning area, and (3) addition of a marked police car with flashing lights in the buffer area downstream of the TMA. Driver response to the different TMPs was assessed by measuring vehicle speeds at three points in the traffic management area and observing lane change and merging behaviors on the approach to the TMA. Analysis showed a positive effect of police presence in the buffer area on driver behavior: TMP3 produced a reduction of 8.4%–12.9% in proportions of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by at least 5 km/h when passing the TMA. TMP3 also appeared to produce a positive effect on merging behavior compared with the other layouts. Use of a third tail vehicle in the advance warning area was not found to produce any additional safety benefit and may have a detrimental effect.
Tribally specific cultural learning: the Remember the Removal program

Remember the Removal is a program for Cherokee youth and young adults which aims to increase Cherokee knowledge, culture, and language by retracing the Trail of Tears. This study evaluated the Cherokee values that were gained and how the participants learned and applied traditional Cherokee values through the program. This is significant because cultural knowledge and connection are important developmental aspects for Indigenous youth and can also protect them from health risks. To assess cultural growth, a total of 23 Remember the Removal participants took part in focus groups. Participants comprised two cohorts: the first cohort of the program was in 1984 (n = 15) and the most current cohort occurred in 2015 (n = 9). Data were analyzed using program evaluation and decolonization methods. Results indicated that there were five themes related to Cherokee values: treat everyone with kindness, help each other, work together, take care of one another, treat each other as family, and be confident. These values mapped onto traditional Cherokee Community Values that had been pre-established by Cherokee Nation and the Cherokee community. This analysis confirmed that this cultural training is feasible; results in improved connection to peers, family, and tribe; is representative of Cherokee values; that the values are applied outside of the program and into the community; and can last up to 32 years.
Drawing lessons from early school leavers in a social justice context: Introductory comments

This special issue focuses on the trajectories of early school leavers and includes corresponding papers from six countries in Europe. It presents a cross-national view on interrelated issues that facilitate understanding of the lessons that can be learned from these trajectories to promote a more socially just approach to education. In this introductory article, the authors present early school leaving (ESL) as a key issue in Europe, discuss relevant good practices and set the scene for an analysis of education as a matter of social justice and human rights – one which requires, above all, the prevention of educational poverty.
Relationship between Overconfidence and Risky Behavior among Ship Crew

Human factors are a primary cause of maritime accidents. This paper explores the relationship between risky behavior and overconfidence among members of a ship crew. Data on confidence and risky behaviors were collected through experiments carried out on a navigation simulator and an associated questionnaire. Contingency table analysis and chi-square test were then performed to clarify the relationships between these variables. The results indicated that both overconfidence and underconfidence were potential causes of risky behaviors among crew members; the type of risky behavior undertaken was also found to be related to both overconfidence and underconfidence. Levels of confidence varied with individual characteristics such as age and sailing experience. The major findings were as follows. Crew members aged 25 years or younger were more likely to be overconfident; crew members with less sailing experience were more likely to be either highly overconfident or underconfident; highly overconfident and underconfident crew members were more prone to involvement in collisions; skill-based risky behaviors were most associated with underconfidence; rule-based risky behaviors were more likely to be exhibited by highly overconfident or underconfident crew members; knowledge-based risky behavior was primarily observed in highly overconfident crew members. This paper fills a current research gap by identifying the individual characteristics that induce risky behaviors, which will be beneficial in enabling the maritime sector to develop targeted interventions to prevent maritime accidents.
Establishing Face and Content Validity of a Survey to Assess Users’ Perceptions of Automated Vehicles

Fully automated vehicles hold promise for providing numerous societal benefits, including drastically reducing road fatalities. However, we know little about the adoption practices of individuals related to automated vehicles. To assess transportation users’ perceptions of automated vehicles, a 40-item survey was designed using guidance from several technology acceptance models. A focus group was used to assess face validity to ensure the items appeared credible and understandable to the layperson. Seven subject-matter experts rated items for their relevance to provide a content validity index for each item and for the overall survey. The final scale had a scale content validity index rating of 1.00, with 32 of 32 items rated greater than or equal to 0.86 and a scale content validity index of 0.96 (mean content validity index of all items), indicating acceptable content validity. The approach adopted in this study ensured the face and content validity of the survey and enhanced the items’ relevance, concision, and clarity. Future validation is required to assess scale reliability and validity. The paper provides an overview of models used for determining acceptance and adoption of technology and describes in detail the methodology used to establish face and content validity of the questionnaire survey developed for assessing adults’ perceptions of automated vehicles.
Trip Generation Rates of Land Uses in a Developing Country City

In recent decades, a major shift in the land use pattern has been observed in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. To understand and model the impact of these land use changes on transportation demand, this study aimed to determine the trip generation rates for six different land use categories adjacent to Mirpur Road in Dhaka. A total of 20 establishments consisting of six land use categories were selected for the collection of data on person trip rates and respective modal share by manual counts and intercept surveys. These data were used to develop vehicular trip generation rates for each land use category in passenger car equivalents as a uniform unit of comparison. Results showed that commercial and healthcare land uses had the highest average and peak-hour trip rates. There was also a significant variation in the share of eight transport mode categories among the trips generated by the land uses. The peak-hour trip generation rates of the study area were found to be different from the values established by the Institute of Transportation Engineers which corresponds to the fact that trip generation depends on a host of factors, such as surrounding land uses, modal share, the economic condition of a region, and so forth, rather than on a single factor inherent to the land use. The findings of this research can help to determine the trip generation impact of new establishments and consequently identify suitable locations to minimize the impact.
Barriers and solutions: Australian Indigenous practitioners on addressing disproportionate representation of Indigenous Australian children known to statutory child protection

The rate of Indigenous child removal in Australia has been referred to as an epidemic. With numbers predicted to increase in the near to medium future exploring alternative ways to engage Indigenous children and families is critical. This article outlines the views of Indigenous practitioners collected as part of a doctoral study exploring the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners who undertake child protection work in Australia. Practitioner narratives were elicited by way of qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews. The narratives of practitioners identify barriers in contemporary statutory child protection practices that may contribute to the disproportionate representation of Indigenous children in the statutory child protection system. Potential solutions offered by practitioners including cultural supervision for non-Indigenous practitioners are also outlined. The narratives of participants indicate that Indigenous practitioner-led policy, practice, training and programme design is critical to addressing the escalating rates of Indigenous child removal in Australia.
Decolonizing African Studies

In this introduction to the special issue on decolonizing African Studies, we discuss some of the epicolonial dynamics that characterize much of higher education and knowledge production in, of, with, and for Africa. Decolonizing, we argue, is best understood as a verb that entails a political and normative ethic and practice of resistance and intentional undoing – unlearning and dismantling unjust practices, assumptions, and institutions – as well as persistent positive action to create and build alternative spaces and ways of knowing. We present four dimesions of decolonizing work: structural, epistemic, personal, and relational, which are entangled and equally necessary. We offer the Black Academic Caucus at the University of Cape Town as an example of how these dimensions can come to life, and introduce the contributions in this special issue (the first of a two-part series) that illuminate other sites and dimensions of decolonizing.
Predicting in Compliance with Speed Limits using Speed Limit Credibility Perception and Risk Perception data

The link between attitudes and behavior shows that driving behavior can be predicted by personal characteristics and individual attitudes in previous research. This study aimed to predict the level of compliance with speed limits for individual drivers by using attitudes data including speed limit credibility perception and risk perception on 8 rural single carriageway layouts. This study investigated how the road layout and roadside environment affect speed limit credibility perception and risk perception and investigate which machine learning algorithm can be used to predict driving behavior based on experimental evidence. This study carried out in a well-controlled experimental design by using a questionnaire and a driving simulator. The simulated road environment only considered rural single carriageway which has higher risk factors than other road types. The results show that a boosted decision tree algorithm can establish a driving behavior model based on drivers’ credibility perception and risk perception. This result can be used to predict driving behavior in advance for in-vehicle warning system design.
Validation of the Chinese Version of Family-Professional Partnership Scale in Early Intervention

The Chinese version of the Family-Professional Partnership Scale (FPPS-C) measures satisfaction with mutually established parent-professional partnerships. This study aimed to evaluate the measurement properties of the FPPS-C Family and Professional Versions. The participants comprised 167 parents who had a child enrolled in an early intervention program, and 200 early intervention professionals in Taiwan. Structural validity, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and construct validity were examined. The Family Version denoted a single-dimensional scale with high internal consistency (α = .99) and adequate test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.54). The Professional Version showed a three-factor structure with moderate to adequate internal consistency (α = .64–.90) and test–retest reliabilities (ICC = 0.60–0.77). Construct validity was evidenced through positive associations between parental and professional perceptions on partnerships and to family-centered service provision. The FPPS-C is a reliable and valid measure, and the study findings can influence research initiatives and practices that aim to ameliorate the provision of family-centered services by early intervention programs.
Combining Ability Analysis of Main Characters in 11 Maize Inbred Lines

The results showed that the inbred lines which have higher GCA effect should be used as the parents of the combinations,GCA and SCA together must be given attention too,so that the combinations of strong heterosis were crossed.The combinations 172×137 was better than others,and must be tested for their yield potentiality and adaptation at many locations in many years.The maize inbred lines such as 172,K12,173,137,were ideal.
Key Teacher Attitudes for Sustainable Development of Student Employability by Social Cognitive Career Theory: The Mediating Roles of Self-Efficacy and Problem-Based Learning

Higher education policy and talent training are failing to meet the ever-changing expectations of employers and society in Taiwan, resulting in a gap between university education and employment. This study used social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to explore the relationships among self-efficacy, transformational leadership (TL), student employability (SE), and problem-based learning (PBL) in higher education institutions (HEIs). The analysis of 637 undergraduates from 16 Taiwanese HEIs using structural equation modeling (SEM) shows significant positive correlations among self-efficacy, PBL, TL, and SE, with PBL and self-efficacy as key mediators. Based on these findings, the researchers propose feasible suggestions for related issues and future research.
The Immune Characteristics of the Epididymis and the Immune Pathway of the Epididymitis Caused by Different Pathogens

The epididymis is an important male accessory sex organ where sperm motility and fertilization ability develop. When spermatozoa carrying foreign antigens enter the epididymis, the epididymis shows “immune privilege” to tolerate them. It is well-known that a tolerogenic environment exists in the caput epididymis, while pro-inflammatory circumstances prefer the cauda epididymis. This meticulously regulated immune environment not only protects spermatozoa from autoimmunity but also defends spermatozoa against pathogenic damage. Epididymitis is one of the common causes of male infertility. Up to 40% of patients suffer from permanent oligospermia or azoospermia. This is related to the immune characteristics of the epididymis itself. Moreover, epididymitis induced by different pathogenic microbial infections has different characteristics. This article elaborates on the distribution and immune response characteristics of epididymis immune cells, the role of epididymis epithelial cells (EECs), and the epididymis defense against different pathogenic infections (such as uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Chlamydia trachomatis, and viruses to provide therapeutic approaches for epididymitis and its subsequent fertility problems.
Imagery Rescripting on Guilt-Inducing Memories in OCD: A Single Case Series Study

Background and objectives Criticism is thought to play an important role in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and obsessive behaviors have been considered as childhood strategies to avoid criticism. Often, patients with OCD report memories characterized by guilt-inducing reproaches. Starting from these assumptions, the aim of this study is to test whether intervening in memories of guilt-inducing reproaches can reduce current OCD symptoms. The emotional valence of painful memories may be modified through imagery rescripting (ImRs), an experiential technique that has shown promising results. Methods After monitoring a baseline of symptoms, 18 OCD patients underwent three sessions of ImRs, followed by monitoring for up to 3 months. Indexes of OCD, depression, anxiety, disgust, and fear of guilt were collected. Results Patients reported a significant decrease in OCD symptoms. The mean value on the Yale−Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) changed from 25.94 to 14.11. At the 3-month follow-up, 14 of the 18 participants (77.7%) achieved an improvement of ≥35% on the Y-BOCS. Thirteen patients reported a reliable improvement, with ten reporting a clinically significant change (reliable change index = 9.94). Four reached the asymptomatic criterion. Clinically significant changes were not detected for depression and anxiety. Conclusions Our findings suggest that after ImRs intervention focusing on patients’ early experiences of guilt-inducing reproaches there were clinically significant changes in OCD symptomatology. The data support the role of ImRs in reducing OCD symptoms and the previous cognitive models of OCD, highlighting the role of guilt-related early life experiences in vulnerability to OCD.
Deep Learning Based Inter-subject Continuous Decoding of Motor Imagery for Practical Brain-Computer Interfaces

Inter-subject transfer learning is a long-standing problem in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and has not yet been fully realized due to high inter-subject variability in the brain signals related to motor imagery (MI). The recent success of deep learning-based algorithms in classifying different brain signals warrants further exploration to determine whether it is feasible for the inter-subject continuous decoding of MI signals to provide contingent neurofeedback which is important for neurorehabilitative BCI designs. In this paper, we have shown how a convolutional neural network (CNN) based deep learning framework can be used for inter-subject continuous decoding of MI related electroencephalographic (EEG) signals using the novel concept of Mega Blocks for adapting the network against inter-subject variabilities. These Mega Blocks have the capacity to repeat a specific architectural block several times such as one or more convolutional layers in a single Mega Block. The parameters of such Mega Blocks can be optimized using Bayesian hyperparameter optimization. The results, obtained on the publicly available BCI competition IV-2b dataset, yields an average inter-subject continuous decoding accuracy of 71.49% (κ = 0.42) and 70.84% (κ = 0.42) for two different training methods such as adaptive moment estimation (Adam) and stochastic gradient descent (SGDM), respectively, in 7 out of 9 subjects. Our results show for the first time that it is feasible to use CNN based architectures for inter-subject continuous decoding with a sufficient level of accuracy for developing calibration-free MI-BCIs for practical purposes.
Distribution and reproduction of the reef fish Petrus rupestris (Pisces: Sparidae) off the coast of South Africa

The red steenbras (Petrus rupestris) is endemic to the south and south-east coasts of South Africa and is the largest member of the family Sparidae. Morphometric relationships between length and mass are given for whole and eviscerated fish. The size distribution of P. rupestris is related to locality and water depth. Juveniles and sub-adults are common in shallow ( 50 m), especially off the coast between East London and Coffee Bay, throughout the year. P. rupestris were found to be rudimentary hermaphrodites. The development of the functional sexes, and the occurrence of sexual dichromatism, are described. Sexual maturity is attained at about 575 mm fork length in those fishes in the spawning areas. Reproductively ripe fishes were taken from Transkei, East London and a small collection was made from the Agulhas Bank. Peak spawning is between August and October. Current management regulations are discu.
Evolutionary Pattern of Interferon Alpha Genes in Bovidae and Genetic Diversity of IFNAA in the Bovine Genome

Interferons are secretory proteins induced in response to specific extracellular stimuli which stimulate intra- and intercellular networks for regulating innate and acquired immunity, resistance to viral infections, and normal and tumor cell survival and death. Type 1 interferons plays a major role in the CD8 T-cell response to viral infection. The genomic analysis carried out here for type I interferons within Bovidae family shows that cattle, bison, water buffalo, goat, and sheep (all Bovidae), have different number of genes of the different subtypes, with a large increase in the numbers, compared to human and mouse genomes. A phylogenetic analysis of the interferon alpha (IFNA) proteins in this group shows that the genes do not follow the evolutionary pattern of the species, but rather a cycle of duplications and deletions in the different species. In this study we also studied the genetic diversity of the bovine interferon alpha A (IFNAA), as an example of the IFNA genes in cattle, sequencing a fragment of the coding sequence in 18 breeds of cattle from Pakistan, Nigeria and USA. Similarity analysis allowed the allocation of sequences into 22 haplotypes. Bhagnari, Brangus, Sokoto Gudali, and White Fulani, had the highest number of haplotypes, while Angus, Hereford and Nari Master had the least. However, when analyzed by the average haplotype count, Angus, Bhagnari, Hereford, Holstein, Muturu showed the highest values, while Cholistani, Lohani, and Nari Master showed the lowest values. Haplotype 4 was found in the highest number of individuals (74), and in 15 breeds. Sequences for yak, bison, and water buffalo, were included within the bovine haplotypes. Medium Joining network showed that the sequences could be divided into 4 groups: one with highly similar haplotypes containing mostly Asian and African breeds, one with almost all of the Bos taurus American breeds, one mid-diverse group with mostly Asian and African sequences, and one group with highly divergent haplotypes with five N'Dama sequences and one from each of White Fulani, Dhanni, Tharparkar, and Bhagnari. The large genetic diversity found in IFNAA could be a very good indication of the genetic variation among the different genes of IFNA and could be an adaptation for these species in response to viral challenges they face.