Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rice Farmers ’ Perception and Determinants of Climate Change Adaptation Measures: A Case Study in Vietnam

The study used Mann Kendall's and Sen's slope tests to elicit rice farmers' perceptions of climate change due to extreme weather occurrences and compared them to hydro- meteorological data. According to the findings, temperatures increased by 0.4 degrees during the last 35 years. While rainfall has increased, the pattern has been difficult to discern. The test results corroborated farmers' perceptions of increased heat spells, but rainfall frequency and intensity vary and are difficult to anticipate. Three adaptation strategies are frequently employed in the Nong Cong district: adjusting the seasonal calendar to alter transplanting and harvesting timing; increasing fertiliser and pesticide application; and changing variety to short-time kinds. Due to the interdependence of adaption techniques, the study used a multivariate probit model. The regression findings indicated that several relevant variables influence the decision to apply adaption methods. Numerous policy ideas for enhancing adaptation to climate change can be derived from the results of this study. District governments must improve their capacity to forecast weekly weather and train how to adapt production to climate change.
Urine leaks in children sustaining blunt renal trauma

Urine leaks after blunt renal trauma lead to considerable morbidity in the pediatric population. We discovered several risk factors that are independent predictors of urine leaks that can alert providers leading to earlier diagnosis and decreased patient morbidity. BACKGROUND Few consensus statements exist to guide the timely diagnosis and management of urine leaks in children sustaining blunt renal trauma (BRT). The aims of this study were to characterize kidney injuries among children who sustain BRT, evaluate risk factors for urine leaks, and describe the negative impact of urinoma on patient outcomes and resource consumption. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of 347 patients, younger than 19 years, who presented with BRT to a single American College of Surgeons–verified Level I Pediatric Trauma Center between 2005 and 2020. Frequency of and risk factors for urine leak after BRT were evaluated, and impact on patient outcomes and resource utilization were analyzed. RESULTS In total, 44 (12.7%) patients developed urine leaks, which exclusively presented among injury Grade 3 (n = 5; 11.4%), Grade 4 (n = 27; 61.4%), and Grade 5 (n = 12; 27.3%). A minority of urine leaks (n = 20; 45.5%) were discovered on presenting CT scan but all within 3 days. Kidney-specific operative procedures (nephrectomy, cystoscopy with J/ureteral stent, percutaneous nephrostomy) were more common among urine leak patients (n = 17; 38.6%) compared with patients without urine leaks (n = 3; 1.0%; p = 0.001). Patients with urine leak had more frequent febrile episodes during hospital stay (n = 24; 54.5%; p = 0.001) and showed increased overall 90-day readmission rates (n = 14; 33.3%; p < 0.001). Independent risk factors that associated with urine leak were higher grade (odds ratio [OR], 7.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6–24.3; p < 0.001), upper-lateral quadrant injuries (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2–7.1; p = 0.02), and isolated BRT (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.0–6.5; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION In a large cohort of children sustaining BRT, urine leaks result in considerable morbidity, including more febrile episodes, greater 90-day readmission rates, and increased operative or image-guided procedures. This study is the first to examine the relationship between kidney quadrant injury and urine leaks. Higher grade (Grade 4–5) injury, upper lateral quadrant location, and isolated BRT were independently predictive of urine leaks. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic/Care Management; Level III.
Mindsets of High School Students in English Language Learning

High school students’ beliefs toward their abilities could be fixed or malleable, and mindset may differ between boys and girls. The aim of this article is three-fold: to examine the beliefs of students as to whether their abilities are fixed or malleable in the context of English language learning, to know if mindsets of boys and girls are significantly different, and to provide an understanding of what difficulties students face in English language learning. Using a modified mindset survey, data from 467 students enrolled in regular programs in public schools in Bangkok was analyzed quantitatively. Findings indicated that students have a growth mindset on their own ability, others' success, criticisms, obstacles, and challenges. However, they tend to have a fixed mindset about putting effort into learning English. Similar to previous studies, there was no significant difference found between girls’ and boys’ mindsets. Concerning difficulties faced by students in an EFL setting, cognitive, affective challenges, and other challenges were coded. Cognitive challenges cover difficulties in remembering grammar rules and vocabulary, difficulties in understanding some words and accented speech, difficulty in translating from L2 to L1, difficulty in selecting words to use in a specific context, difficulties in listening, reading, and writing, lack of vocabulary knowledge and knowledge about basic English, lack of ability to speak English and practice to speak English, and slow cognitive processing. Meanwhile, affective challenges include fear of making mistakes, high anxiety, lack of interest in studying grammar rules, and lack of self-confidence and attentiveness. Other codes include negative peer influence and perceived negative teacher acts. Teaching and research implications are discussed to help students build a growth mindset because challenges are ubiquitous in English language learning.
On recruiting and retaining users for security-sensitive longitudinal measurement panels

Many recent studies have turned to longitudinal measurement panels to characterize how people use their computing devices under realistic conditions. In these studies, participants’ devices are instrumented, and their behavior is closely monitored over long time intervals. Because such monitoring can be highly intrusive, researchers face substantial challenges recruiting and retaining participants. We present three case studies using medium- to large-scale longitudinal panels, which all collect privacy- and security-sensitive data. In evaluating factors related to recruitment, retention, and data collection, we provide a foundation to inform the design of future long-term panel studies. Through these studies, we observe that monetary and nonmonetary incentives can be effective in recruiting panel participants, although each presents trade-offs and potential biases. Contrary to our initial expectations, we ﬁnd that users do not behave any differently in their ﬁrst few weeks of participation than in the remainder of their time in the study. In terms of retention, we note that personalized enrollment follow-ups can lower initial dropout rates, but they are challenging and costly to scale. Communication, including following up with inactive users, is vital to retention. However, ﬁnding the right balance of communication is equally important. Interfering with a participant’s everyday device use is a sure way to lose users. Finally, we present several ﬁndings, based on practical experience, to help inform the design of the data collection process in observational panels.
Absorbing representations with respect to closed operator convex cones

We initiate the study of absorbing representations of $C^\ast$-algebras with respect to closed operator convex cones. We completely determine when such absorbing representations exist, which leads to the question of characterising when a representation is absorbing, as in the classical Weyl-von Neumann type theorem of Voiculescu. In the classical case, this was proven by Elliott and Kucerovsky who proved that a representation is nuclearly absorbing if and only if it induces a purely large extension. By considering a related problem for extensions of $C^\ast$-algebras, which we call the purely large problem, we ask when a purely largeness condition similar to the one defined by Elliott and Kucerovsky, implies absorption with respect to some given closed operator convex cone. We solve this question for a special type of closed operator convex cone induced by actions of finite topological spaces on $C^\ast$-algebras. As an application of this result, we give $K$-theoretic classification for certain $C^\ast$-algebras containing a purely infinite, two-sided, closed ideal for which the quotient is an AF algebra. This generalises a similar result by the second author, S. Eilers and G. Restorff in which all extensions had to be full.
Characteristics of fine particle matter at the top of Shanghai Tower

Abstract. To investigate the physical and chemical processes of fine particle matter (PM) at the mid-upper planetary boundary layer (PBL), we conducted 1-year continuous measurements of fine PM, the chemical composition of non-refractory submicron aerosol (NR-PM1), and some gas species (including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and ozone) at an opening observatory (∼ 600 m) at the top of Shanghai Tower (SHT), which is China's first and the world's second highest building located in the typical financial central business district of Shanghai, China. This is the first report on the characteristics of fine particles based on continuous and sophisticated online measurements at the mid-upper level of the urban PBL. The observed PM2.5 and PM1 mass concentrations at SHT were 25.5 ± 17.7 and 17.3 ± 11.7 µg m−3, respectively. Organics, nitrate (NO3), and sulfate (SO4) occupied the first three leading contributions to NR-PM1 at SHT, accounting for 35.8 %, 28.6 %, and 20.8 %, respectively. The lower PM2.5 concentration was observed at SHT by 16.4 % compared with that near the surface during the observation period. It was attributed to the decreased nighttime PM2.5 concentrations (29.4 % lower than the surface) at SHT in all seasons due to the complete isolations from both emissions and gas precursors near the surface. However, daytime PM2.5 concentrations at SHT were 12.4 %–35.1 % higher than those near the surface from June to October, resulted from unexpected larger PM2.5 levels during early to middle afternoon at SHT than at the surface. We suppose the significant chemical production of secondary aerosols existed in the mid-upper PBL, because strong solar irradiance, adequate gas precursors (e.g., NOx), and lower temperature were observed at SHT, favorable for both photochemical production and gas-to-particle partitioning. This was further demonstrated by the significant increasing rate of oxygenated organic aerosols and NO3 observed at SHT during 08:00–12:00 in spring (7.4 % h−1 and 12.9 % h−1), fall (9.3 % h−1 and 9.1 % h−1), and summer (13.0 % h−1 and 11.4 % h−1), which cannot be fully explained by vertical mixing. It was noted that extremely high NO3 was observed at SHT both in daytime and nighttime in winter, accounting for 37.2 % in NR-PM1, suggesting the efficient pathway from heterogeneous and gas oxidation formation. Therefore, we highlight the priority of NOx reduction in Shanghai for the further improvement of air quality. This study reported greater daytime PM2.5 concentrations at the height of 600 m in the urban PBL compared with surface measurement, providing insight into their potential effects on local air quality, radiation forcing, and cloud and/or fog formations. We propose that the efficient production of secondary aerosol in the mid-upper PBL should be cognized and explored more comprehensively by synergetic observations in future.
struggle, and I’ll fall…I’ll have my days, but it’s okay” Indigenous Women Surviving the Sixties Scoop

Sixties scoop survivors possess different levels of cultural knowledge. Our objectives were for Indigenous women 1) to increase their cultural knowledge through teachings and engagement with Knowledge Carriers, 2) to have other supports and resources they require identified, and 3) to participate in a Full Moon Ceremony. Community-based research principles were used to establish the study design and research process. Teaching circles and Full Moon Ceremonies were held and experiences in the study collected through focus group discussions. Five themes were identified which included the manifestations of the sixties scoop, longing for culture, (re)connecting to culture, the impacts of culture, and barriers to practicing culture. Important recommendations emerged regarding the practice of culture in ceremony and in programs.
Design for social change and design education: Social challenges versus teacher-centred pedagogies

Abstract Increasingly, various design-related processes are employed to address social issues. Design for social change entails the adoption of a variety of strategies that at their core are human-centred. There is an expectation that design education should cater for the competencies that will allow graduates to deal successfully with the challenge of design for social change. However, teacher-centered instructional approaches neglect end-users; they are not human-centered. This position paper argues that learner-centered instructional approaches that emphasise the use for example of ethnographic studies, action research and empathy, are better equipped to cater for design for social change. They tend to adopt an evidence-based approach that is human-centered. If design education is to contribute towards social change, then it needs to rid itself of the master-apprentice instructional model. Instead, it should adopt user-centred and evidence-based approaches, and thus move closer strategies that can facilitate a variety of social interventions.
Facile synthesis of zinc hydroxyfluoride nanobelt and effect of hexamethylenetetramine for growth direction

ABSTRACT Control of nanomaterial morphology has been investigated to utilize for the desired application. 1D nanomaterials are ideal for various applications because of their excellent carrier transportability and huge specific surface area. Due to their advantages, various methods have been developed to grow in a specific direction. Herein, we introduced a simple synthesis method of freestanding Zinc hydroxidefluoride (ZnOHF) nanobelt as 1D material without seed or substrate using aqueous solutions. The ZnOHF nanobelt was synthesized using zinc fluoride and hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) at 80°C for 3 h. Even though low synthesis temperature, ZnOHF demonstrated good crystallinity and a homogeneous nanobelt structure. The ZnOHF nanobelts were grown over several μm to <010> direction with less than 100 nm width. In addition, the growth direction of the nanobelt was controlled by the concentration of HMT. The width of the nanobelt was broader by a decrease in HMT concentration. It was considered that crystal nucleation and growth of ZnOHF could be influenced by OH− and NH4 + ions generated from HMT decomposition. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
GMM-Based Symbol Error Rate Analysis for Multicarrier Systems With Impulsive Noise Suppression

Theoretical analysis of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, equipped at the receiver by a non-linear impulsive noise suppressor, is very challenging. Indeed, although an exact closed-form expression for the output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of such OFDM systems is available for widely used impulsive noise models, theoretical analysis of the associated symbol error rate (SER) is still open. The analytical SER available in the literature, exploit a Gaussian approximation of the non-linear distortion noise, which however holds true only under specific conditions. Conversely, this work develops an accurate analytical closed-form expression of the distortion noise distribution at the nonlinearity output, as well as its approximation by a Gaussian mixture model (GMM). By using GMMs we unify the SER analysis for communication systems equipped by non-linear impulsive noise suppressors, typically also used in vehicular communications. Closed form expressions for the SER are derived both for non-fading and frequency-selective Rayleigh/Rician fading channels affected by impulsive noise, which is also modeled by a GMM, including Bernoulli-Gaussian (BG), Middleton Class-A, and alpha-stable noises. Theoretical SER performance are compared with simulations, showing very good agreement for all the impulsive noise scenarios and the non-linear suppressors.
Optimizing NPK fertilizer requirements for Jatropha zeyheri tea under greenhouse conditions

Jatropha zeyheri is an indigenous crop to South Africa, which contains tea brewing and medicinal properties commonly utilized by local communities in rural areas of South Africa. Domestication and commercialization of indigenous herbal teas have gained popularity in recent years however, domestication of J. zeyheri will require optimum NPK fertilizer mixture to improve the yield and quality. Therefore, the study was intended to determine whether different fertilizer application rates will optimize yield parameters of J. zeyheri tea under greenhouse conditions. At two-leaf stage, J. zeyheri seedlings were transplanted into 25 cm diameter plastic pots. Each pot was filled with heated-pasteurised sandy soil and Hygromix at 3:1 (v/v) ratio and placed in a spacing of 0.30 m × 0.30 m inter-and intra-row spacing. Six treatments constituting NPK fertilizer rates (0, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 g) were arranged in a randomized complete block design, with five replications. Treatments were initiated a week after transplanting, and 130 days after that, treatments had highly significant effects on chlorophyll content, leaf width and dry root mass, contributing 70, 78 and 62% in total treatment variation (TTV), respectively. In contrast, vine length, stem diameter and leaf length were significant, contributing 47, 60 and 49% in TTV, respectively. However, treatments had no significant effects on normalized difference vegetation index, number of leaves and dry shoot mass. Jatropha zeyheri plant variables exhibited positive quadratic relations with increasing fertilizer levels. Fertilizer requirements for J. zeyheri were optimized at 3.34 g fertilizer/plant, which translates to 33 kg NPK fertilizer/ha for 10 000 plants of J. zeyheri. In conclusion, J. zeyheri appears to qualify as a low-input tea crop.
Challenges and solutions for the SKA TM Architectural Team (TMAT)

The SKA (Square Kilometre Array) Telescope Manager (TM) is the core package of the SKA Telescope: it is aimed at scheduling observations, controlling their execution, monitoring the telescope health status, diagnosing and fixing its faults and so on. Following the adoption of the Views and Beyond (V and B) approach [1] of the Software Engineering Institute (SEI [2]), it was discussed and agreed upon to take the opportunity to setup a TM Architecture Team (TMAT) composed by a combination of team members (who drove much of the work towards the main deliverables for the final review) and others (who can help shape the architectural design). The TMAT has to make sure that the main deliverables are well aligned with the overall TM architecture (including ensuring that the SEI approach is followed to the level agreed upon), and that there are no gaps and that cross-cutting issues are taken care of properly. This paper wants to analyze the challenges that the team has to face together with the solutions proposed to ensure that the quality of the deliverables are reached.
Rapid Implementation of a Community–Academic Partnership Model to Promote COVID-19 Vaccine Equity within Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Communities

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has highlighted inequities in mortalities and associated illnesses among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino individuals. Immunization against COVID-19 is critical to ending the pandemic, especially within racial and ethnically minoritized communities. However, vaccine hesitancy and institutional mistrust in these communities, resulting from decades of mistreatment, structural racism, and barriers to vaccination access, have translated into low vaccination uptake. Trustworthy relationships with healthcare professionals and partnerships with faith and community leaders are critical to increasing vaccination rates within these minoritized communities. Loma Linda University researchers collaborated with local faith and community organizations in San Bernardino County, CA, to rapidly implement a three-tiered approach to increase the vaccination rates within non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino communities. This community–academic partnership model provided over 1700 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine within these vaccine-hesitant, targeted minoritized communities. As over 100,000 individuals are diagnosed with COVID-19 daily and updated vaccines targeting variants of the Omicron strain are expected to rollout in the coming months, the development of sustainable programs aimed at increasing vaccine uptake within vulnerable communities are of the utmost importance.
IMU-Based Attitude Estimation in the Presence of Narrow-Band Noise

In this paper, we consider the inertial measurement units (IMUs) based attitude estimation, a common core problem in a large variety of robotic systems. In particular, we focus on the case where the IMU measurements are contaminated by narrow-band vibration noises caused by the system flexible mode, aerodynamic turbulence, or rotating parts (e.g., motors). Our proposed scheme is a complete solution to adaptively estimate the narrow-band noise and actively compensate it in the attitude estimation. More specifically, the scheme adopts a notch filter to attenuate the narrow-band noise and subsequently embeds such filter into a multiplicative extended Kalman filter framework to eliminate the induced transient error. Furthermore, a least mean square method is utilized to estimate the dominant noise frequency in real time, forming an adaptive notch filter that can effectively attenuate the narrow-band noise with time-varying dominant frequency. The complete algorithm is verified on an actual gimbal system with exhaustive experiments.
Academic Integrity of Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Method Analysis

This study explored the academic integrity of tertiary students during the pandemic. Sixty-six students and nine faculty members were participants in the study. Two adapted survey questionnaires and a validated researcher-made interview guide were used to obtain pertinent data. Quantitative results revealed that most students committed academic dishonesty; however, they considered those misconducts moderate cheating. Teachers observed that students committed cheating more than once; however, they only call students’ attention. Qualitative information showed that most students knew the importance of academic integrity; lack of time, procrastination, lack of comprehension, lack of study habits, having a job, low self-esteem, and having the desire to get better marks were the reasons why students committed academic misconduct. Students suggested that the academic institution needs to initiate innovations and implement stricter sanctions on those who committed academic misconduct. A pledge of academic honesty was developed for students to commit to academic integrity.