Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conceptualizing and Measuring Group Openness and Cohesion as Dimensions of Group Personality

Groups exhibit behavioral consistencies similar to individuals, such as making more or less bold decisions or struggling more or less frequently. However, previous research findings focus only on specific dimensions of groups instead of the general structure of group personality. Based on previous research findings on group and team efficiency, we derived two basic dimensions of group personality, group openness and cohesion, representing the group’s outward and inward orientation, respectively. We present the “Group Openness and Cohesion Questionnaire” (GOCQ) as a measure to assess these two group personality dimensions in groups independent of their context. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the proposed two-dimensional structure with good to excellent psychometric properties. Evidence of validity is provided through group age, group size, and by the fact that the ratings reflect team characteristics. In general, the results support the conceptualization of these two basic dimensions of group personality and provide first indications of validity of the presented measure GOCQ.
Automatic Prediction of Functional Residues from Sequence and Structural Information

One of the aims of modern bioinformatics is to discover the molecular mechanisms which rule the protein operation. This is a fundamental step in understanding the complex processes involved in living systems and would possibly allow us to correct dysfunctions. A protein may have different functions. Such functions are determined by the protein primary structure, i.e. the sequence of amino acids that constitute it, and by their spatial disposition (tertiary structure). Protein function identification is a challenging problem as it involves the combination of a large number of variables, most of which still unknown. Therefore approaches for the automatic detection of protein functional sites are needed. In this work we concentrate on the prediction of functional residues, i.e. residues which directly interact with the substrate. In its simpler formulation, the problem can be cast into a binary classification task at the residue level. Preliminary experiments showed that evolutionary enriched sequence-based information alone achieve performance which are statistically indistinguishable from carefully crafted features extracted from 3D coordinates. While allowing to apply functional residue prediction to the much wider range of sequenced proteins with possibly unknown 3D structure, such results indicate that using structural information in the automatic prediction of protein functional aspects is a non-trivial task. We show that by modeling physico-chemical properties of the residue structural neighbourhood we obtain significant improvements, but further research is needed in order to fully exploit the information provided by the protein 3D structure.
Robustness of cooperation on scale-free networks under continuous topological change

In this paper, we numerically investigate the robustness of cooperation clusters in prisoner's dilemma played on scale-free networks, where the network topologies change by continuous removal and addition of nodes. Each removal and addition can be either random or intentional. We therefore have four different strategies in changing network topology: random removal and random addition (RR), random removal and preferential addition (RP), targeted removal and random addition (TR), and targeted removal and preferential addition (TP). We find that cooperation clusters are most fragile against TR, while they are most robust against RP, even for large values of the temptation coefficient for defection. The effect of the degree mixing pattern of the network is not the primary factor for the robustness of cooperation under continuous change in network topology, which is quite different from the cases observed in static networks. Cooperation clusters become more robust as the number of links of hubs occupied by cooperators increase. Our results might infer the fact that a huge variety of individuals is needed for maintaining global cooperation in social networks in the real world where each node representing an individual is constantly removed and added.
The impact of logistics service performance on customer satisfaction and loyalty in Brazilian chemical industry

This study aims to present the cross-cultural adaptation process of the constructs logistic service, satisfaction and loyalty to the Brazilian culture and to investigate their content validity and reliability. This process included the steps of translation, back translation, review by expert committee and pretesting. The final constructs were applied to 148 respondents from the chemical industry. Cronbach's alphas were 0.960 and 0.955 for the two dimensions of customer service; 0.954 for satisfaction, 0.950 and 0.906 for the two dimensions of loyalty in the total sample. Eliminating items from the initial pool resulted in 24 items for the five construct scales. To confirm construct unidimensionality, reliability, and validity, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the five constructs using CFA by means of LISREL. We evaluated one pair of factors at a time, and found that each alternate model did not demonstrate better fit, only some correlation. The study suggests that the constructs of logistics service, satisfaction and loyalty are reliable and valid measures for the Brazilian culture.
Lane Change Maneuver Detection from Probe Vehicle DGPS Data

The impact of lane change maneuvers is fundamental to microscopic traffic flow theory. Due to the difficulty of tracking many vehicles over time and space, most of the published research in this area seek to find lane change maneuvers visually from wayside cameras. This paper presents a different approach, finding the lane change maneuvers of a probe vehicle itself using differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) data. We first use multiple probe vehicle trajectories through a study corridor to establish a reference trajectory from the median of all trajectories and this reference trajectory is used to define the position of the current lane. This approach eliminates the need for high-resolution maps accurate enough to capture the exact position of the individual lanes. Our lane change maneuver detection is then divided into two parts, controlling for the impacts of mandatory lane change maneuvers (MLC) and then for discretionary lane change maneuvers (DLC). MLC are detected by comparing the difference between the mean and median of lateral distance of all trajectories relative to a reference trajectory. After distinguishing all the MLCs, the DLC are found by setting lateral thresholds around the reference trajectory, i.e., when a given trajectory leaves this virtual lane. In the process we control for the impacts of GPS errors, such as multipath, arising from obstructions. DLC are then found by comparing the out-of-threshold-line time and length to a threshold acquired empirically from data
A Study of Influential Factors on Consumer Initial Trust Building in China's e-Marketing Context

Recently, China’s B2C and C2C e-commerce are expanding rapidly. The shopping online frequency and the number of e-consumers are significant. Although there are huge business chances, most of the Chinese consumers do not trust shopping online and even have no experience of e-purchasing. The level of trust should be upgrading urgently. Because the trust is one of the most important influences on consumer purchase intention, the lack of trust has become the main barrier to further development of e-commerce. Based on consumer and e-marketing perspectives, this study aims to present factors influencing potential e-consumers trust and its consequences in three dimensions: competence, integrity and benevolence. This paper tries to give the proposals of trust building for consumers without shopping online experience.
Teaching outside of the box: a short-term international internship for pre-service and in-service physical education teachers

Abstract This article reports on results from a qualitative study of a two-week international internship for pre-service and in-service physical education (PE) teachers in a developing nation (Belize). Relying upon data from questionnaires that were administered before and after the short-term international internship, participants’ perspectives related to their professional and personal development were investigated. Understanding the overlap that necessarily exists between professional and personal growth, five themes are identified and discussed. These include: (1) Kids are Kids (Or are they? ), (2) Relationships Matter, (3) Cooperation and Collaboration in Teaching: Learning Together, (4) Teaching without Bells and Whistles, and (5) Recognising One’s Own Privilege. In light of these findings, some suggestions for future practice and inquiry are offered.
Using X3D for medical training simulations

Nowadays medical training simulators play an important role in education and further training of surgeons. With Virtual Reality based training systems it is possible to simulate a surgery under realistic conditions. Input data for the visualization of anatomic structures is tomographic image data. For the visualization of medical datasets direct volume rendering is the method of choice. In this paper we introduce a system based on the new X3D extension proposal of the Medical Working Group for a volume rendering component, with some extensions for controlling the speed vs. quality trade-off. For a convincing and instructive training simulation, our implementation delivers high performance combined with high quality visualization of medical datasets. Furthermore, it integrates haptic force-feedback devices to assure realistic interactions.
Availability Benchmarking of a Database System

We present the results of an availability benchmarking study of a three-tier transactionprocessing-oriented database system based on Microsoft SQL Server 2000. Following the general availability benchmarking methodology introduced by our previous work on software RAID systems, we carried out a set of fault-injection experiments in which we measured the effects of 14 different types of realistic storage system faults on the performance and success rate of database transactions drawn from a TPC-C-like OLTP workload. Our results indicate that the SQL Server 2000 database is robust to a wide range of storage faults, including most single-sector uncorrectable I/O errors, although it does not transparently tolerate entire disk failures or timeouts. We also identify transactions and writeahead logging as important mechanisms used to achieve this level of robustness, and furthermore identify the system’s middleware component as a key weakness in obtaining a high level of end-to-end fault tolerance.
Designing game-like activities to engage adult learners in higher education

Both engagement and motivation are important factors in any learning process. Fortunately, there are different approaches worth considering during the design process of learning experiences that could help educators create engagement. One that has shown great potential is the inclusion of game design principles, or game-like experiences, in a curriculum. This paper presents the design and analysis of an e-learning activity within a software engineering course that relies on the application of such an approach as its motivational foundation from a purely educational standpoint (i.e. not as entertainment). The goal was to encourage adult learners to solve non-graded formative activities and to increase their sense of kinship to the class group. After one semester, the results revealed a positive assessment of the experience designed and student engagement.
Expensive Multiobjective Optimization and Validation with a Robotics Application

Many practical optimization problems, especially in robotics, involve multiple competing objectives, e.g. performance metrics such as speed and energy efficiency. Proper treatment of these objective functions is often overlooked. Additionally, optimization of the performance of robotic systems can be restricted due to the expensive nature of testing control parameters on a physical system. This paper presents a multi-objective optimization (MOO) algorithm for expensive-toevaluate functions which generates a Pareto set of solutions. This algorithm is compared against another leading MOO algorithm, and then used to optimize the speed and head stability of the sidewinding gait for a snake robot.
Design and Analysis of a Reflectarray Using Defected Double-Square Rings for Microwave Application

This paper depicts a broadband single-layer reflectarray antenna composed of defected double-square rings elements. The element is optimized to provide a linear phase curve and wide-enough phase variation range (over 500°) compared to the conventional single-layer reflectarray elements, which leads a broader bandwidth. Here we designed a 30°-beam-steering reflectarray operating at 12.5 GHz, and verified its validity with an infinite periodic element model approach. The computed results give a perfect agreement of the main beam steering with the original design requirement and show 1-dB gain bandwidth of 16.7%.
Fabrication of PureB-only light-entrance windows for VUV sensitive single-photon avalanche diodes

Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) fabricated in PureB (Pure Boron) technology can be made sensitive to the whole vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) light range from 10 nm - 400 nm if a PureB-only light-entrance window is realized. Different techniques for doing this are evaluated in terms of the device electrical performance in relationship to the effect of the processing on the PureB layer itself. A very low noise SPAD can be achieved when the as-deposited PureB layer is not significantly modified by the subsequent processing.
Queue-aware dynamic on/off switching of small cells in dense heterogeneous networks

In this work we examine downlink discontinuous transmission (DTX) policies for co-channel small cells with mutual interference in a two-tier heterogeneous network. We propose binary on/off switching subject to probabilistic maximum queue-length constraints at the UEs, for two different objective functions: sum-rate maximization and transmit energy minimization. We then show how to transform these non-convex problems with probabilistic constraints into tractable forms via a series of relaxations. Notably, a difference-of-convex functions programming approach is adopted for the constrained sum rate maximization problem. Simulation results show that the proposed DTX schemes can be used to effectively mitigate inter-cell interference as well as energy consumption, while also minimizing the likelihood of user queue-length violations.
The distribution of microlensed light-curve derivatives: the relationship between stellar proper motions and transverse velocity

We present a method for computing the probability distribution of microlensed light-curve derivatives both in the case of a static lens with a transverse velocity, and in the case of microlensing that is produced through stellar proper motions. The distributions are closely related in form, and can be considered equivalent after appropriate scaling of the input transverse velocity. The comparison of the distributions in this manner provides a consistent way to consider the relative contribution to microlensing (both large and small fluctuations) of the two classes of motion, a problem that is otherwise an extremely expensive computational exercise. We find that the relative contribution of stellar proper motions to the microlensing rate is independent of the mass function assumed for the microlenses, but is a function of optical depth and shear. We find that stellar proper motions produce a higher overall microlensing rate than a transverse velocity of the same magnitude. This effect becomes more pronounced at higher optical depth. With the introduction of shear, the relative rates of microlensing become dependent on the direction of the transverse velocity. This may have important consequences in the case of quadruply lensed quasars such as Q223710305, where the alignment of the shear vector with the source trajectory varies
Corona of Magnetars

We develop a theoretical model that explains the formation of hot coronae around strongly magnetized neutron stars—magnetars. The starquakes of a magnetar shear its external magnetic field, which becomes nonpotential and threaded by an electric current. Once twisted, the magnetosphere cannot untwist immediately because of its self-induction. The self-induction electric field lifts particles from the stellar surface, accelerates them, and initiates avalanches of pair creation in the magnetosphere. The created plasma corona maintains the electric current demanded by 𝛁 × and regulates the self-induction EMF by screening. This corona persists in dynamic equilibrium: it is continually lost to the stellar surface on the light crossing time ~10-4 s and replenished with new particles. In essence, the twisted magnetosphere acts as an accelerator that converts the toroidal field energy to particle kinetic energy. Using a direct numerical experiment, we show that the corona self-organizes quickly (on a millisecond timescale) into a quasi-steady state, with voltage 108-109 V along the magnetic lines. The voltage is maintained near the threshold for e± discharge. The heating rate of the corona is ~1036 ergs s-1, in agreement with the observed persistent, high-energy output of magnetars. We deduce that a static twist that is suddenly implanted into the magnetosphere will decay on a timescale of 1-10 yr. The particles accelerated in the corona impact the solid crust, knock out protons, and regulate the column density of the hydrostatic atmosphere of the star. The transition layer between the atmosphere and corona may be hot enough to create additional e± pairs. This layer can be the source of the observed 100 keV emission from magnetars. The corona emits curvature radiation and can supply the observed IR-optical luminosity.
A Numerical Algorithm for the Decomposition of Cooperating Structured Markov Processes

Modern computer systems consist of a large number of dynamic hardware and software components that interact according to some specific rules. Quantitative models of such systems are important for performance engineering because they allow for an earlier prediction of the quality of service. The application of stochastic modelling for this purpose is limited by the problem of the explosion of the state space of the model, i.e. the number of states that should be considered for an exact analysis increases exponentially and is thus huge even when few components are considered. In this paper we resort to product-form theory to deal with this problem. We define an iterative algorithm with the following characteristics: a) it deals with models with infinite state space and block regular structure (e.g. quasi-birth&death) without the need of truncation; b) in case of detections of product-form according to RCAT conditions, it computes the exact solution of the model; c) in case of non-product-form, it computes an approximate solution. The very loose assumptions allow us to provide examples of analysis of heterogeneous product-form models (e.g., consisting of queues with catastrophes and/or batch removals) as well as approximating non-product-form models with non-exponential service time distributions and negative customers.
Assessing the impact of occupant behaviour on electricity consumption for lighting and small power in office buildings

Lighting and small power will typically account for more than half of the total electricity consumption in an office building. Significant variations in electricity used by different tenants suggest that occupants can have a significant impact on the electricity demand for these end-uses. Yet current modelling techniques fail to represent the interaction between occupant and the building environment in a realistic manner. Understanding the impact of such behaviours is crucial to improve the methodology behind current energy modelling techniques, aiming to minimise the significant gap between predicted and in-use performance of buildings. A better understanding of the impact of occupant behaviour on electricity consumption can also inform appropriate energy saving strategies focused on behavioural change. This paper reports on a study aiming to assess the intent of occupants to switch off lighting and appliances when not in use in office buildings. Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the assessment takes the form of a questionnaire and investigates three predictors to behaviour individually: 1) behavioural attitude; 2) subjective norms; 3) perceived behavioural control. The paper details the development of the assessment procedure and discusses preliminary findings from the study. The questionnaire results are compared against electricity consumption data for individual zones within a multi-tenanted office building. Initial results demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between perceived behavioural control and energy consumption for lighting and small power.
Modelling fault dependencies when execution time budgets are exceeded

Given that real-time systems are specified to a degree of confidence, budget overruns should be expected to occur in a system at some point. When a budget overrun occurs, it is necessary to understand how long such a state persists, in order to determine if the fault tolerance of the system is adequate to handle the problem. However, given the rarity of budget overruns in testing, it cannot be assumed that sufficient data will be available to build an accurate model. Hence this paper presents a new application of Markov Chain based modelling techniques combined with forecasting techniques to determine an appropriate fault model, using Lossy Compression to fit the model to the available data. In addition, a new algorithm, DepET, for generating job execution times with dependencies is given for use in task simulators.
Routing Metrics and Protocols for Wireless Mesh Networks

WMNs are low-cost access networks built on cooperative routing over a backbone composed of stationary wireless routers. WMNs must deal with the highly unstable wireless medium. Therefore, the design of algorithms that consider link quality to choose the best routes are enabling routing metrics and protocols to evolve. In this work, we analyze the state of the art in WMN metrics and propose a taxonomy for WMN routing protocols. Performance measurements for a WMN, deployed using various routing metrics, are presented and corroborate our analysis.
Generalized Detection and Merging of Loop Closures for Video Sequences

In this work we present a method to detect overlaps in image sequences, and use this information to integrate overlapping sparse 3D structure from video sequences. The additional temporal information of these images is used to increase robustness over single image pair matching. A scanline optimization problem formulation is used to compute the best sequence alignment using wide-baseline image matching techniques. Compared to a direct dynamic programming approach, the scanline optimization formulation increases the robustness of sequence alignment for general relative motions. The proposed alignment method is employed to integrate sparse 3D models reconstructed from separate video sequences. In addition loop closures are detected. Consequently, the 3D modeling process from sequential image data can be split into fast sequence processing and subsequent global integration steps.