Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contribution to Citizenship of Tunisian Students during PSE Sessions

Many research and international reports have shown that civic education at the school corresponds to a strong societal need and that citizen knowledge is taken care of by school disciplines. This research aimed to verify the contribution of physical education and sport (PSE) to the citizenship of middle school students. The analyzes include Official Texts (OT) governing PSE and practices of PSE teachers. The results show that PSE is a school discipline that promotes student citizenship in two complementary modes; on the one hand, the use of physical and sports activities (PSA) that implicitly carry civic values; on the other hand, the direct intervention of the teacher who translates his values into action.
Uncertainty estimation in deep learning with application to spoken language assessment

Since convolutional neural networks (CNNs) achieved top performance on the ImageNet task in 2012, deep learning has become the preferred approach to addressing computer vision, natural language processing, speech recognition and bio-informatics tasks. However, despite impressive performance, neural networks tend to make over-confident predictions. Thus, it is necessary to investigate robust, interpretable and tractable estimates of uncertainty in a model’s predictions in order to construct safer Machine Learning systems. This is crucial to applications where the cost of an error is high, such as in autonomous vehicle control, high-stakes automatic proficiency assessment and in the medical, financial and legal fields. In the first part of this thesis uncertainty estimation via ensemble and single-model approaches is discussed in detail and a new class of models for uncertainty estimation, called Prior Networks, is proposed. Prior Networks are able to emulate an ensemble of models using a single deterministic neural network, which allows sources of uncertainty to be determined within the same probabilistic framework as in ensemble-based approaches, but with the computational simplicity and ease of training of single-model approaches. Thus, Prior Networks combine the advantages of ensemble and single-model approaches to estimating uncertainty. In this thesis Prior Networks are evaluated on a range classification datasets, where they are shown to outperform baseline approaches, such as Monte-Carlo dropout, on the task of detecting out-of-distribution inputs. In the second part of this thesis deep learning and uncertainty estimation approaches are applied to the area of automatic assessment of non-native spoken language proficiency. Specifically deep-learning based graders and spoken response relevance assessment systems are constructed using data from the BULATS and LinguaSkill exams, provided by Cambridge English Language Assessment. Baseline approaches for uncertainty estimation discussed and evaluated in the first half of the thesis are then applied to these models and assessed on the task of rejecting predictions to be graded by human examiners and detecting misclassifications.
Multi‐Centennial‐Scale Variations of South American Summer Monsoon Intensity in the Southern Central Andes (24–27°S) During the Late Holocene

Oxygen isotope records of cushion‐plant peat cellulose from the southern central Andes capture evidence for significant environmental changes. We observe that the δ18Ocell peatland record from Cerro Tuzgle (24°S) is in high conformity with the respective Lagunillas peatland record (27°S). During the late Holocene, two significant fluctuations occurred and are interpreted as regional moisture signals with increased precipitation amounts indicated during multi‐centennial phases from 1,530 to 1,270 cal. yr BP and from 470 to 70 cal. yr BP. These fluctuations can be best explained by changes in the strength of the South American summer monsoon (SASM). This interpretation is further supported by consistency with northern Andean paleoclimate records (10–13°S) and very high correlation (R2 = 0.76) with the Southern Oscillation Index. The congruent precipitation signals suggest the persistent climatic control of the SASM‐strength in this latitudinal band during the last 1,800 years.
ADHESION OF CANDIDA ALBICANS AND CANDIDA PARAPSILOSIS TO DIFFERENT RESTORATIVE MATERIALS

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the susceptibility of seven different restorative materials (three conventional composite resins, two bulk-fill composite resins, one giomer, and one high viscosity glass ionomer material) to adhere Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis . Material and methods: In this study, thirty cylindrical specimens of each material were made according to instructions of the manufacturers. The surface roughness of the specimens was assessed using a profilometer. Thereafter, the specimens were incubated with a reference strain of Candida albicans (ATCC 64548) and Candida parapsilosis (ATCC 22019). The proliferated colonies counted as CFU/ml. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the surface roughness and the adhesion value of the materials. Tukey’s post-hoc test was used for subsequent pairwise comparisons. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the surface roughness of the materials ( p< 0.05). The high viscosity glass ionomer material exhibited significantly higher surface roughness values while X-trafil (a bulkfill composite resin) had the lowest surface roughness values. Also, there was a significant difference between Candida adhesion values of the materials ( p< 0.05). Conclusion: There was no significant relationship between surface roughness and adhesion of Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis . Involvement was seen more for Candida albicans compared to Candida parapsilosis in all restorative materials.
Integrating Large Wood Jams into Hydraulic Models: Evaluating a Porous Plate Modeling Method

Large wood (LW) jams are key riverine habitat features that affect hydraulic processes and aquatic habitat. The hydraulic influence of LW jams is poorly understood due to the complexity of fluid dynamics around irregular, porous structures. Here we validated a method for two‐dimensional hydraulic modeling of porous LW jams using the open‐source modeling software Delft3D‐FLOW. We sampled 19 LW jams at three reaches across the Columbia River Basin in the United States. We used computer‐generated porous plates to represent LW jams in the modeling software and calibrated our modeling method by comparing model outputs to measured depths and velocities at validation points. We found that modeling outputs are error‐prone when LW jams are not represented. By representing LW jams as porous plates we reduced average velocity root mean square error (RMSE) values (i.e., improved model accuracy) by 42.8% and reduced average depth RMSE values by 5.2%. These differences impacted habitat suitability index modeling. We found a 15.1% increase in weighted useable area for juvenile steelhead at one test site when LW jams were simulated vs. when they were ignored. We investigated patterns in average RMSE improvements with varying jam size, bankfull obstruction, porosity, and structure type, and river complexity. We also identified research gaps related to field estimation of LW jam porosity and porous structure modeling methods.
Effect of the Number of Constrictions on the Filtration Behaviour of a Soil-Geotextile System

Nonwoven geotextile filters have been used in geo-environmental engineering for decades to prevent the movement of base soil fine particles, allowing adequate seepage to flow through the geotextile plane. Most of the design criteria developed for nonwoven geotextiles are based only on the comparison between their characteristic opening size and the indicative diameter of the soil to be filtered. In the meantime, the nonwoven geotextile fibrous structure has an influence on the filtration of the soil-geotextile system. In this paper the numbers of constrictions of nonwoven geotextile samples were determined to verify the existence of a correlation between the geotextile structure and the filtration behaviour of soil-geotextile systems. The compatibility between an internally unstable soil and a nonwoven geotextile filter was evaluated using the gradient ratio test. The results obtained can also be the basis for modifying the geotextile filter design and selection criteria.
Further improvement of wet process treatments in GEOS-Chem v12.6.0: Impact on global
distributions of aerosol precursors and aerosols

Abstract. Wet processes, including aqueous phase chemistry, wet scavenging, and wet surface uptakes during dry deposition, are important for global modeling of aerosol precursors and aerosols. In this study, we improved the treatments of these wet processes in the GEOS-Chem v12.6. 0, including pH calculation for cloud, rain, and wet surface, fraction of cloud available for aqueous phase chemistry, rainout efficiencies for various types of cloud, empirical washout by rain and snow, and wet surface uptakes during dry deposition. We compared simulated surface mass concentrations of aerosol precursors and aerosols with surface monitoring networks over the United States, Europe, Asia, and Arctic regions, and showed that the model results with the updated wet processes agree better with measurements for most species. With the implementation of these updates, normalized mean biases (NMB) of surface nitric acid, nitrate, and ammonium are reduced from 78 %, 126 %, and 45 % to 13 %, 24 %, and 6.2 % over US sites, from 56 %, 105 %, and 91 % to −20 %, −5.1 %, and 22 % over Europe sites, and from 121 %, 269 %, and 167 % to −18 %, 40 %, and 86 % over Asia sites. Comparison with surface measured SO2, sulfate and black carbon at four Arctic sites indicated that these species simulated with the updated wet processes match well with observations except large underestimation of black carbon at one of the sites. Furthermore, we compared model simulation with aircraft measurement of nitric acid and aerosols during ATom-1 and ATom-2 periods and found seasonal variation and vertical profile of these species have been successfully improved by considering the updated wet processes. The investigation of impacts of updated wet process treatments on surface mass concentrations indicated that the updated wet processes have strong impacts on the global means of nitric acid, sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium and relative small impacts on the global means of sulfur dioxide, dust, sea salt, black carbon, and organic carbon.
Needs and treatment options in chronic traumatic brain injury: A feasibility trial of a community-based intervention

Abstract Lifelong changes may be expected after sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Research on relevant treatment options in the chronic phase of TBI is lacking. An innovative, home-based intervention program was developed in the US and showed to be effective among US veterans who had sustained a TBI. However, the cross-cultural applicability and effectiveness are unknown. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility in a Norwegian population before a future definitive randomized controlled trial (RCT). Six participants with severe TBI in metropolitan Oslo, Norway, were recruited and received the intervention. Primary feasibility objectives were to evaluate (i) recruitment and screening procedures, (ii) baseline and follow-up assessments, (iii) intervention delivery, (iv) acceptability, and (v) order of primary and secondary outcome measures. No adverse effects of the intervention were uncovered. Baseline assessment was found to be too long. Intervention delivery was feasible and acceptability high. Outcome measures were reviewed and amendments were deemed necessary. An individually tailored, goal-focused intervention program was deemed feasible in a population of severe TBI and the preliminary results seem promising. The feasibility trial led to important amendments to inclusion criteria, baseline assessment and outcome measures that were adapted before the RCT study commenced. The RCT-study started recruitment in June 2018.
The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Malaysian Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Many of our chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients venture into complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to seek a cure for the disease beyond conventional management. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of CAM usage; and its association with the progression of CKD in our population. This was a cross-sectional survey recruited CKD patients from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). Data was collected via interview using questionnaires which explore the demographics, type and pattern of CAM use. Patients’ comorbidities and serum creatinine were extracted from the medical notes to assess the association between progression of CKD and usage of CAM. Chi-square, Independent Samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression were used to evaluate for an association. Three hundred and seventy two eligible patients were recruited. The prevalence of CAM use was 29% in the past year. Younger age, higher education and higher income level were associated with significantly more usage of CAM. Natural products were the commonest type of CAM used (86.1%). The belief in the effectiveness of CAM was the main reason for its uptake and about 57.8% revealed their practice to their physician. We found that the use of CAM in Malaysian CKD patients did not influence the progression of the disease.
THE LEARNING CULTURE SURVEY - PERSISTENCE OF LEARNING CULTURE: RESULTS OF A LONGITUDINAL STUDY ON STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF AND EXPECTATIONS TOWARDS HIGHER EDUCATION

The Learning Culture Survey (LCS) is a questionnaire-based research, investigating students’ perceptions of and expectations towards Higher Education (HE). The aim of this survey is to improve our understanding about the sources of cultural conflicts in educational scenarios. This understanding, shell help us to predict potential conflict situations and develop supportive measures. After three years of development, the LCS was initialized in 2010 in South Korea and Germany. During the following years, the investigations were extended to further countries. The results, on the one hand, provided insights about the cultural context of HE in general and on the other hand, about specific (national / regional) characteristics of learners in HE. Most issues targeted with the questionnaire were directly linked to value systems. Thus, we expected from the beginning that the collected data would keep valid over longer periods of time. However, we had no evidence regarding the actual persistence of learning culture. For a study, designed to being implemented on a global scope and providing input for further applications, persistence is a basic condition to justify related investigations. To answer the question on persistence, we repeated the LCS in our university every four years, between 2010 to 2018/19. Besides a small number of slight changes, explainable out of their situational context, the overall results kept consistent over the investigated years. In this paper, after an introduction of the LCS’ concept, setting and its general results from the past years, we present the insights from our most recently finalized longitudinal study on learning culture.
ASSESSMENT OF ECOTOURISM AT TENGANAN PEGRINGSINGAN, BALI WITH THE INDONESIA SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD (ISTA)

Assessment is needed to measure ecotourism outcomes and impacts. Assessment indicators can be used to manage and guide the practice and development of tourism destinations. Indonesia has an assessment standard developed to evaluate sustainable tourism practices, namely the indonesia sustainable tourism award (ista). Ista is aligned with and officially recognized by the gstc. This research investigates the ease and effectiveness of implementing ista standards in the context of a community-based ecotourism destination. The research was conducted in tenganan pegringsingan village through direct observation, questionnaires and interviews with the local community and jed (jaringan ekowisata desa) managers. The results demonstrate that ista was a useful assessment tool for a mature ecotourism destination which was established on the basis of local culture and wisdom. It was also found that a number of criteria were difficult to understand and apply in self assessment of compliance and some modification of the standard may be necessary. The results of this research were applied to create recommendations for ecotourism management and to give feedback on the implementation of ista in indonesia.
Comparison of Molecular Dynamics and Kinetic Modeling of Gas-Surface Interaction

The interaction of a dilute monatomic gas with a solid surface is studied by Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations and by numerical solutions of a recently proposed kinetic model. Following previous investigations, the heat transport between parallel walls and Couette flow have been adopted as test problems. The distribution functions of re‐emitted atoms and the accommodation coefficients obtained from the two techniques are compared in different flow conditions. It is shown that the kinetic model predictions are close to MD results.
Prior Therapy with Rituximab (R) in Patients (pts) with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) Does Not Affect Disease-Free (DFS) or Overall Survival (OS) Following High Dose Therapy (HDT) and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT).

The addition of R to first line chemotherapy regimens for DLBCL has resulted in improvements in DFS and OS. HDT and ASCT have been shown to improve outcome for pts with relapsed DLBCL compared with conventional dose salvage regimens. The effectiveness of HDT and ASCT in pts with DLBCL who have received prior therapy including R is unknown. We reviewed 257 consecutive pts with DLBCL treated with ASCT from 1/94–12/02. Of these, 161 (63%) had received R as part of their initial therapy and 65 (25%) had not received prior R. A third group (N = 31, 12%) who had been treated with R as part of salvage therapy prior to ASCT were excluded from further analysis. Patient characteristics are shown in Table 1. All patients received a preparative regimen of Busulfan, Cyclophosphamide, and Etoposide. Greater than 75% of patients in both groups had evidence of disease at time of transplant. Univariable and multivariable analyses demonstrated no difference between the pts previously treated with R and those not treated with R. After median follow up of 76 months (13–142) no statistical difference in DFS or OS was observed between the two groups. Patients were then adjusted for age, gender, stage, prior chemotherapy/radiation, time from diagnosis to CR, IPI, and disease status and compared again. The matched propensity analysis also showed no significant difference in DFS (p=0.87) and OS (p=0.22) (Figures 1 and 2). Despite concerns that pts with DLBCL previously treated with regimens containing R may have more resistant disease at relapse, our results suggest that HDT and ASCT is equally effective for these pts compared with those who have not received prior R. A prospective analysis is needed to confirm these results. | Categories | No Rituximab (n=65) | Rituximab (n=161) | |:---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------- | ----------------- | | Age-median (range) | 48 (19–70) | 53 (23–72) | | Gender (M/F) | 42/23 | 93/68 | | Stage IV (n) | 75% (49) | 61% (98) | | Prior Chemo Regimens-median (range) | 2 (1–4) | 2 (1–6) | | Prior Radiation (n) | 25% (16) | 32% (51) | | IPI (Low/Low-Intermediate vs High-Intermediate/High) | 66% vs 34% | 55% vs 45% | | CD34 collection (x 10^6)-median (range) | 8.3 (2.9–39.2) | 4.4 (0–52.8) | | Time to Transplant (mos)-median (range) | 14.7 (2.8–274.3) | 14.5 (5.1–192.6) | Table 1. Patient Characteristics ! [Figure][1] Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma - Matched Groups ! [Figure][1] Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma - Matched Groups [1]: pending:yes
Does auditory processing rely on encapsulated, or domain-general computational resources?

: The extent to which auditory processing depends on attention has been a key question in auditory cognitive neuroscience, crucial for establishing how the acoustic environment is represented in the brain when attention is directed away from sound. Here I review emerging behavioural and brain imaging results which demonstrate that, contrary to the traditional view of a computationally encapsulated system, the auditory system shares computational resources with the visual system: high demand on visual processing (e.g. as a consequence of a task with high perceptual load) can undercut auditory processing such that both the neural response to, and perceptual awareness of, non-attended sounds are impaired. These results are discussed in terms of our understanding of the architecture of the auditory modality and its role as the brain’s early warning system.
Fake reviewer group detection

Online reviews play a crucial role in deciding the quality before purchasing any product. Unfortunately, spammers often take advantage of online review forums by writing fraud reviews to promote/demote certain products. It may turn out to be more detrimental when such spammers collude and collectively inject spam reviews as they can take complete control of users’ sentiment due to the volume of fraud reviews they inject. Group spam detection is thus more challenging than individual-level fraud detection due to unclear deﬁnition of a group, variation of inter-group dynamics, scarcity of labeled group-level spam data, etc. Here, we propose DeFrauder, an unsupervised method to detect online fraud reviewer groups. It ﬁrst detects candidate fraud groups by leveraging the underlying product review graph and incorporating several behavioral signals which model multi-faceted collaboration among reviewers. It then maps reviewers into an embedding space and assigns a spam score to each group such that groups comprising spammers with highly similar behavioral traits achieve high spam score. While comparing with ﬁve base-lines on four real-world datasets (two of them were curated by us), DeFrauder shows superior performance by outperforming the best baseline with 17.64% higher NDCG@50 (on average) across datasets.
Social Work Practitioners’ Educational Needs in Developing Spiritual Competency in End-of-Life Care and Grief

ABSTRACT This study’s purpose was to assess social work practitioners’ educational needs for developing spiritual/religious competencies with end-of-life care and grief. Competency levels and factors associated with educational courses and content on developing spiritual/religious competencies were identified. Data were collected in 2017 through an online Qualtrics Survey Tool at a large public university in the Southwest. An online survey was sent to 3,845 social work practitioners via email and 437 practitioners who met eligibility criteria participated in the survey. Results suggest that social work education and trainings would benefit from better integration of spirituality/religion competencies, both in general and specifically in the area of end-of-life care and grief. Implications for social work education improvement are provided.