Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dimensions of Reading Attitude of Primary Students

The Survey of Reading Attitudes-Primary Level (SRA) was administered orally to 269 first-grade, 240 second-grade, and 236 third-grade students. The responses to the 85-item survey were factored separately by grade by using a principal factor method with varimax rotation. Five factor dimensions were obtained which could be equated to dimensions reported in studies with intermediate grade students who responded to an intermediate form of the SRA. These factor dimensions included: Expressed Reading Difficulty, Reading as Direct Reinforcement, Reading Enjoyment, Comics, and Alternative Learning Modes. The Expressed Reading Difficulty and Comics dimensions were obtained for all three grades. Although the Reading as Direct Reinforcement and Reading Enjoyment Dimensions were obtained for both the second- and third-grade samples, these two dimensions merged to form a single dimension for the first-grade sample. The Alternative Learning Modes dimension emerged only for the third-grade sample. The results provided evidence for the multidimensionality of primary students' reading attitudes. Grade differences in the obtained factor structures may reflect the differentiation of reading attitudes as a result of developmental processes and/or the greater differentiation of reading experiences as the student matures and progresses through school.
Reflections on two approaches to hybrid simulation in healthcare

Hybrid simulation, the combination of simulation paradigms to address a problem is becoming more popular as the problems we are presented with become more complex. This is evidenced by an increase in the number of hybrid papers published in specific domains and the number of hybrid simulation frameworks being produced across domains. This paper focuses on two hybrid simulation models from a healthcare context. The first uses system dynamics and discrete-event simulation and was developed using two separate software tools (Vensim and Simul8). The second uses agent-based and discrete-event simulation and was developed in a single software environment, Anylogic. The reflections on these models add to the debate about the viability of hybrid modelling and suggest future steps to support the take up of the approach.
PROGRAMAS AGRÍCOLAS NA OCUPAÇÃO DO CERRADO

O artigo desenvolve reflexao sobre uma dimensao especifica da ocupacao produtiva do cerrado, impulsionada por avancos tecnologicos e processos acoplados que, em conjunto, recebem a denominacao de modernizacao agricola. Seu foco fixa-se na analise de tres programas agricolas principais que constituiram as politicas publicas no setor, apos 1970. Destaca a centralidade da forte presenca estatal para propiciar a harmonizacao dos interesses ligados a dinâmica da economia de mercado, no periodo posterior a crise do petroleo, de 1973, aos interesses dos agentes nacionais emergentes: agroindustrias, empresas agricolas, cooperativas etc. Observando os mecanismos dessa integracao, e tambem os seus efeitos de devastacao da cultura vegetal nativa, indica a hipotese de que, se a globalizacao prosseguir induzindo a regiao do cerrado para a producao agricola nos moldes presentes, o cerrado vira a sofrer mais ainda com os prejuizos ambientais inerentes. Palavras-chave: cerrado; ocupacao agricola; degradacao ambiental.
Reconciling the STDP and BCM Models of Synaptic Plasticity in a Spiking Recurrent Neural Network

Rate-coded Hebbian learning, as characterized by the BCM formulation, is an established computational model of synaptic plasticity. Recently it has been demonstrated that changes in the strength of synapses in vivo can also depend explicitly on the relative timing of pre- and postsynaptic firing. Computational modeling of this spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) has demonstrated that it can provide inherent stability or competition based on local synaptic variables. However, it has also been demonstrated that these properties rely on synaptic weights being either depressed or unchanged by an increase in mean stochastic firing rates, which directly contradicts empirical data. Several analytical studies have addressed this apparent dichotomy and identified conditions under which distinct and disparate STDP rules can be reconciled with rate-coded Hebbian learning. The aim of this research is to verify, unify, and expand on these previous findings by manipulating each element of a standard computational STDP model in turn. This allows us to identify the conditions under which this plasticity rule can replicate experimental data obtained using both rate and temporal stimulation protocols in a spiking recurrent neural network. Our results describe how the relative scale of mean synaptic weights and their dependence on stochastic pre- or postsynaptic firing rates can be manipulated by adjusting the exact profile of the asymmetric learning window and temporal restrictions on spike pair interactions respectively. These findings imply that previously disparate models of rate-coded autoassociative learning and temporally coded heteroassociative learning, mediated by symmetric and asymmetric connections respectively, can be implemented in a single network using a single plasticity rule. However, we also demonstrate that forms of STDP that can be reconciled with rate-coded Hebbian learning do not generate inherent synaptic competition, and thus some additional mechanism is required to guarantee long-term input-output selectivity.
Unsettling Expectations: (Un)certainty, Settler States of Feeling, Law, and Decolonization1

Abstract Guaranteeing “certainty” (for governments, business development, society, etc.) is often the goal of state land rights settlements with Indigenous peoples in Canada. Certainty is also often seen as an unequivocally desirable and positive state of affairs. This paper explores how certainty and uncertainty intersect with the challenges of decolonization in North America. I explore how settler certainty and entitlement to Indigenous land has been constructed in past colonial and current national laws, land policies, and ideologies. Then, drawing on data from fieldwork among activists against land rights, I argue that their deep anger about their uncertainty regarding land and their futures helps to reveal how certainty and entitlement underpin “settler states of feeling” (Rifkin). If one persistent characteristic of settler colonialism is settler certainty and entitlement, then decolonization, both for settlers and for jurisprudence, may therefore mean embracing uncertainty. I conclude by discussing the relationship between certainty, uncertainty, and decolonization. Résumé Garantir une « certitude » (pour les gouvernements, le développement d’entreprises, la société, etc.) est souvent le but des accords sur les revendications territoriales avec les peuples autochtones au Canada. La certitude est souvent perçue aussi comme étant une situation, sans équivoque, désirable et positive. Cet article explore comment la certitude et l’incertitude recoupent les défis associés à la décolonisation en Amérique du Nord. J’explore comment la certitude des colons ainsi que les droits aux terres autochtones ont été élaborés au sein des lois coloniales du passé, des lois nationales courantes, des politiques foncières, et des idéologies. Par la suite, puisant sur des données de terrain de militants opposés aux revendications territoriales, je soutiens que la colère profonde qu’ils éprouvent face à l’incertitude de leurs terres et de leur future révèle comment les « sentiments de colons » (Rifkin) sont renforcés par la certitude et les droits territoriaux. Si l’une des caractéristiques persistantes du colonialisme de peuplement est la certitude des colons ainsi que leurs droits territoriaux, alors la décolonisation pourrait donc signifier, pour les colons et la jurisprudence, que l’on accepte l’incertitude. Je termine en abordant la relation entre la certitude, l’incertitude et la décolonisation.
A correlated frailty model for analysing risk factors in bilateral corneal graft rejection for Keratoconus: a Bayesian approach

There are many unknown causes that increase the rate of corneal graft rejection. In bilateral cases, some of these unknown causes are common, and some are individual factors. In this paper, we use a correlated frailty model to analyse risk factors for bilateral corneal graft in Keratoconus. Applying the piecewise constant baseline hazard model, we have performed a Bayesian analysis of the correlated frailty model using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method. The correlated frailty model and the shared frailty model are compared by deviance information criterion. The results show more accurate and better fit for the correlated frailty model. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scalable feedback control for multicast video distribution in the Internet

We describe a mechanism for scalable control of multicast continuous media streams. The mechanism uses a novel probing mechanism to solicit feedback information in a scalable manner and to estimate the number of receivers. In addition, it separates the congestion signal from the congestion control algorithm, so as to cope with heterogeneous networks. This mechanism has been implemented in the IVS video conference system using options within RTP to elicit information about the quality of the video delivered to the receivers. The H.261 coder of IVS then uses this information to adjust its output rate, the goal being to maximize the perceptual quality of the image received at the destinations while minimizing the bandwidth used by the video transmission. We find that our prototype control mechanism is well suited to the Internet environment. Furthermore, it prevents video sources from creating congestion in the Internet. Experiments are underway to investigate how the scalable proving mechanism can be used to facilitate multicast video distribution to large number of participants.
Chronic Patients Monitoring Using Wireless Sensors and Big Data Processing

Developed countries are characterized by aging population and economical crisis, so it is desirable to reduce the costs of public and private healthcare systems. It is necessary to streamline the health system resources leading to the development of new medical services based on telemedicine, remote monitoring of chronic patients, personalized health services, new services for dependants, etc. New medical applications based on remote monitoring will significantly increasing the volume of health information to manage, including data from medical and biological sensors, is then necessary process this huge volume of data using techniques from Big Data. In this paper we propose one potential solution for creating those new services, based on Big Data processing and vital signs monitoring.
Does Alcohol Use Mediate the Association Between Consequences Experienced in High School and Consequences Experienced During the First Semester of College?

Approximately 80% of college students drink alcohol; almost half of these students reporting that they drink to get drunk and over 22% engage in heavy episodic drinking. Heavy alcohol consumption during the transition from high school to college is associated with negative personal and academic consequences. Sixty-seven freshmen volunteered to participate. We measured alcohol use during high school and since entering university, negative consequences of alcohol use, and academic functioning. College weekly drinking mediates the relationship between high school and college consequences associated with alcohol use. This is true for overall consequences and specifically for academic consequences related to alcohol.
Cooperative project by self-bending continuum arms

Designing a multi-robot system provides numerous advantages for many applications such as low cost, multi-tasking and more efficient group work. However, the rigidity of the robots used in industrial and medical applications increases the probability of injury. Therefore, lots of research is done to increase the safety factor for robot-human interaction. As a result, either separation between the human and robot is suggested, or the force shutdown to the robot system is applied. These solutions might be useful for industrial applications, but it is not for medical applications as a direct interaction between the human and the machine is required. To overcome the rigidity problem, a soft robot arm is presented in this paper. Studying the structure and performance of a contraction pneumatic muscle actuator (PMA) is illustrated, then useful strategies are used to implement a multi PMA continuum arm to increase the performance options for such types of the actuator. Moreover, twin arms are constructed to organise a collaborative project depending on the performance abilities of the proposed arms and end effectors.
Speeding up requirements management in a product software company: linking customer wishes to product requirements through linguistic engineering

Developing large complex software products aimed for a broad market involves a great flow of wishes and requirements. The former are elicited from customers while the latter are brought forth by the developing organization. These are preferably kept separated to preserve the different perspectives. The interrelationships should however be identified and maintained to enable well-founded decisions. Unfortunately, the current manual linkage is cumbersome, time-consuming, and error-prone. This work presents a pragmatic linguistic engineering approach to how statistical natural language processing may be used to support the manual linkage between customer wishes and product requirements by suggesting potential links. An evaluation with real requirements from industry is presented. It shows that in a realistic setting, automatic support could make linkage faster for at least 50% of the links. An estimation based on our evaluation also shows that considerable time savings are possible. The results, together with the identified enhancement, are promising for improving software quality and saving time in industrial requirements engineering.
Motion overview of human actions

During the last decade, motion capture data has emerged and gained a leading role in animations, games and 3D environments. Many of these applications require the creation of expressive overview video clips capturing the human motion, however sufficient attention has not been given to this problem. In this paper, we present a technique that generates an overview video based on the analysis of motion capture data. Our method is targeted for applications of 3D character based animations, automating, for example, the action summary and gameplay overview in simulations and computer games. We base our method on quantum annealing optimization with an objective function that respects the analysis of the character motion and the camera movement constraints. It automatically generates a smooth camera control path, splitting it to several shots if required. To evaluate our method, we introduce a novel camera placement metric which is evaluated against previous work and conduct a user study comparing our results with the various systems.
Measuring the Quality of Social Acceptability Within a Class

of assessing these changes in behavior. Moreover, the evaluation technique must not only give an adequate assessment of change in the social behavior but must also be fashioned so that it may be applied economically in the practical school situation. This paper will present some evidence on the validity of the Revised Ohio Social Acceptance Scale, advanced Series. This scale is a group test approach for assessing the quality of social acceptance, an aspect of human relations, within a class. The
Attitudes to participation in a lung cancer screening trial: a qualitative study

Background Earlier diagnosis of lung cancer is key to reducing mortality. New evidence suggests that smokers have negative attitudes to screening and participation in lung cancer screening trials is poor (<1 in 6 of those eligible). Understanding participation is important since uptake in screening trials is likely to predict uptake in screening programmes. A qualitative study of people accepting and declining participation in the Lung-SEARCH screening trial was conducted. Two questions were addressed: Are the screening methods offered acceptable to patients? Why do some people take part and others decline? Methods The qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with 60 respondents from three groups: (a) trial participants providing an annual sputum sample; (b) trial participants with a sputum sample showing abnormal cytology and thus undergoing annual CT scanning and bronchoscopy; and (c) those declining trial participation. Results Most respondents (48/60, 80%) viewed sputum provision, CT scanning and bronchoscopy as largely acceptable. Those declining trial participation described fear of bronchoscopy, inconvenience of travelling to hospitals for screening investigations and perceived themselves as having low susceptibility to lung cancer or being too old to benefit. Patients declining participation discounted their risk from smoking and considered negative family histories and good health to be protective. Four typological behaviours emerged within those declining: ‘too old to be bothered’, ‘worriers’, ‘fatalists’ and ‘avoiders’. Conclusion Sputum provision, CT scanning and bronchoscopy are largely acceptable to those participating in a screening trial. However, the decision to participate or decline reflects a complex balance of factors including acceptability and convenience of screening methods, risk perception, altruism and self-interest. Improving practical and changing cognitive aspects of participation will be key to improving uptake of lung cancer screening.
Multi-layer sub-wavelength profile broadband leaky-wave antenna

A new concept for designing subwavelength-profile and broadband high-gain leaky-wave antennas is introduced. A novel multi-layer periodic array design is proposed for subwavelength Fabry-Perot leaky-wave antennas with enhanced bandwidth performance. Two double-layer periodic arrays of dissimilar dimensions are designed and optimized, each double-layer array consisting of an Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) and a Partially Reflective Surface (PRS) printed on either side of a dielectric substrate. They are placed at about quarter wavelength from a ground plane and from each other. Thus, two air cavities are created with a total profile of less than λ/2. The proposed antenna has been simulated (using CST Microwave Studio™) achieving 18.3dBi directivity with 8% bandwidth. This gain-bandwidth product outperforms any previous Fabry-Perot antenna design with this profile.
Seeking conditions of possibility: (re)conceptualising democratic discursive practices in a rights-based approach to adult education

This paper draws on ethnographic vignettes in an Indian rights-based approach to adult education programmes in order to examine the contestations and negotiations of facilitators in interface situations involving programme capacity building, monitoring and evaluation practice. The paper proposes that making visible the hegemonic nature of relationships between different adult education actors is critical to engendering democratic participation in adult education. It explores conditions of possibility for democratic participation in adult education in terms of (1) conceptualising empowerment as self-representation and autonomy; and (2) interrogating one’s identity through self-deconstruction as an ethical responsibility and commitment to equity and social justice. This analysis has implications for informing and enhancing democratic participation in adult education capacity building, monitoring and evaluation processes.
Simulation of unsteady incompressible flows using temporal adaptation and dynamic remeshing

An implicit finite-element flow solver based on the Galerkin finite-element method is employed to study unsteady laminar flow past single and multiple objects. A fast dynamic remeshing technique is used to control the distribution of the mesh nodes during the unsteady simulation, thus minimizing (or even eliminating) the need for adding artificial dissipation terms. The quad-dominant mesh generator coupled with this solver is based on a Cartesian mesh with a conforming spatial decomposition. The dynamic remeshing technique preserves the quality of the elements during the refinement/coarsening process. A mixed Galerkin finite-element discretization is used to generate the nonlinear system corresponding to the Navier-Stokes equations. After approximating the time derivative by means of finite differences and applying Picard’s iteration, one obtains linear systems of equations that need to be solved at each time step. The GMRES method combined with a least-squares commutator as a preconditioner is employed for the solution of these linear systems. The time step is controlled and adapted using an error estimation of the computed flow variables with respect to time. Results of several numerical simulations are presented and validated against experimental and numerical studies to demonstrate the viability of this new approach.
Computing exponentials of essentially non-negative matrices entrywise to high relative accuracy

A real square matrix is said to be essentially non-negative if all of its off-diagonal entries are non-negative. It has recently been shown that the exponential of an essentially non-negative matrix is determined entrywise to high relative accuracy by its entries up to a condition number intrinsic to the exponential function (Numer. Math., 110 (2008), pp. 393-403). Thus the smaller entries of the exponential may be computed to the same relative accuracy as the bigger entries. This paper develops algorithms to compute exponentials of essentially non-negative matrices entrywise to high relative accuracy.
The darkened glass of bilingualism? Translation and interpreting in Welsh language planning

Translating and interpreting in Wales are closely involved with Welsh language planning and its goal of encouraging people to speak Welsh. This article explores how translation and interpreting have influenced the public perception of the Welsh language, and how they are now used in the context of language promotion. It is not only literary translation that is important in this respect, but perhaps even more the translation of day-to-day texts and documents – as well, crucially, as interpreting in institutional and community contexts. I argue that language planners may need a more profound understanding of the translating and interpreting professions in order to use them to full potential in the processes aimed at making Welsh a fully viable everyday language.