Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The cycling as a driver of a renewed design and use of public space within the neighborhoods

A great contribution both to the energy consumption and to the air pollution results from road transport and mainly from travels in urban areas. The great number of trips occurring into the urban areas is certainly due to the increase of people in the cities, which will increase in the future representing thus a large proportion of the world population. Therefore, it is most influential the reference of the urbanization model and related transport model. In fact, for different historical periods, the shape of cities was depending on transportation technologies. The massive use of the cars has induced the extension of the urban areas in all directions without a prevalent priority, it has encouraged the private motorized mobility with respect to the widespread accessibility and it has allowed the separation of urban functions. As a consequence a reduced quality of life, social segregation - especially for people with a low level of self-sufficiency, and a reduced sense of community of residents are occurring. This led to a progressive impoverishment of the neighbourhoods that instead represent places of interaction for the individual well-being, community cohesion and urban vitality. The study area is the 13th District (Ostia) of Rome – Italy, where it has been carried out a design laboratory in the frame of an European project”VillemiZero”. This area has been urbanized after 1960 and it is representative of low-density settlements separated by agricultural enclaves. Infact this District has a population density of 13.6 inhabitants per hectare, one of the lowest of Rome. The collective transport can not support these density so low that instead are supported by private motorized transport. A plan that encourages a higher urban density and mixed land use can have significant benefits in terms of provision of basic urban services that would allow a reduction in car use and as a consequent of GHG emissions and traffic congestion, increasing at the same time, the efficiency of the public transport and slow mobility. However, it is difficult to act on the density in urban areas already built. As a consequence we can act on the transportation modes used on the distance of proximity or short haul. According to these conception a reduction of use of the car and, consequently, of the traffic congestion and GHG emissions , can be achieved by increasing the component of slow mobility for travel within and among close neighbourhoods can be achieved through the increase of slow mobility for travels occurring within and among neighbourhoods. Finally, this paper aims to highlight the role of cycling as an important carrier for a renewed layout and use of public space inside of neighbourhoods.
Teaching English in Primary School through a Spiral Thematic Curriculum

This article presents an experience of implementing a spiral thematic curriculum to teach English in a public primary school in Medellin. The design and implementation of this curriculum are part of an action research project that focuses on determining the effects of using it to teach English to children from kindergarten to fifth grade. The project involved the participation of a teacher from the primary school, six student teachers from theUniversidad de Antioquia who are doing their practicum there, and the university advisor. The findings of this research were twofold: the children were involved in the process of learning a foreign language in a meaningful way, and their teachers (the student teachers) discovered a way to approach their task from a more student-sensitive and reflective perspective. Received: 19-12-02 / Accepted: 20-05-03 How to reference this article: Cadavid, C. (2003). Teaching English in Primary School through a Spiral Thematic Curriculum. Íkala. 8(1), pp. 81 – 97
AUTOMATIC VISUAL MODEL FOR CLASSIFICATION AND MEASUREMENT OF QUALITY OF FRUIT: CASE Mangifera indica l

The physical properties of fruits in the agriculture industry constitute the main information in the quality determination for activities as exportation. This work presents a visual inspection based method for the classification of mango (Mangifera Indica L.). The classification process is made according to the Norma Tecnica Colombiana (Colombian Technical Norm) NTC 5139 standard, by means of automatic estimation of physical properties of fruits, such as height, width, volume, weight, caliber, and maturity level using the Principal Component Analysis and a fruit’s ellipsoidal 3-D model. Finally, the level of maturity is inferred through a similarity measure of the color distribution between the fruit and experimentally fixed models in the HSL space. The results showed that the method is computationally efficient, non invasive, precise and of low cost.
Self-Directed Learning in an International Baccalaureate High School Class

Self-directed learning is an adult-education concept that suggests that a learner should maintain control over all aspects of a learning activity. In an effort to examine self-directed learning in a high school environment, this study utilized document analyses and direct observation to evaluate the dimensions of learner control (conative, algorithmic, semiotic, and economic) in a secondary five International Baccalaureate classroom. Following an observation of approximately five weeks and a thorough analysis of readily available documents pertaining to the International Baccalaureate programme, the degree of learner control in each of the four dimensions was discussed. Although the degree of learner control varied depending on many aspects, the principal finding of this study is related to the concept of classroom energy. The energy of the classroom and the way teachers responded to this energy was found to greatly influence the degree of learner control of the students. This implies that teachers need to be aware of this energy and work with what students bring to the classroom to allow for the highest amount of learner control in all the dimensions.
New occurrence records for Eurycea sosorum Chippindale, Price & Hillis, 1993 (Caudata, Plethodontidae) in Travis and Hays counties, Texas, USA

We present 7 new occurrence records for the Barton Springs Salamander (Eurycea sosorum Chippindale, Price & Hillis, 1993) from Hays and Travis counties, Texas, USA, including the first for this species from the Trinity Aquifer. Eurycea sosorum is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 due to ongoing threats from urbanization and aquifer overdraft throughout its narrow range. Although this species is more widely distributed than when it was first described in 1993, its range is still exceptionally small, restricted to portions of only two watersheds (Onion and Barton creeks) in one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States (Austin, Texas). Under any ecologically-relevant criterion that is based on the best available scientific evidence, this species remains in danger of extinction throughout its range.
Using social norms to reduce bullying

Bullying attitudes and behaviors and perceptions of peers were assessed in a case study experiment employing a social norms intervention in five diverse public middle schools in the State of New Jersey (Grades 6 to 8). Data were collected using an anonymous online survey (baseline n = 2,589; postintervention n = 3,024). In the baseline survey, students substantially misperceived peer norms regarding bullying perpetration and support for probullying attitudes. As predicted by social norms theory, they thought bullying perpetration, victimization, and probullying attitudes were far more frequent than was the case. Also as predicted, variation in perceptions of the peer norm for bullying was significantly associated with personal bullying perpetration and attitudes. Using print media posters as the primary communication strategy, an intervention displaying accurate norms from survey results was conducted at each of the five school sites. A pre-/postintervention comparison of results revealed significant reductions overall in perceptions of peer bullying and probullying attitudes while personal bullying of others and victimization were also reduced and support for reporting bullying to adults at school and in one’s family increased. The extent of reductions across school sites was associated with the prevalence and extent of recall of seeing poster messages reporting actual peer norms drawn from the initial survey data. Rates of change in bullying measures were highest (from around 17% to 35%) for the school with the highest message recall by students after a one-and-a-half-year intervention. Results suggest that a social norms intervention may be a promising strategy to help reduce bullying in secondary school populations.
Empirical Research on the Influence of Negative Electronic Word-Of-Mouth on Brand Switching Behavior

Virtual community produces a new social model and consumption actions, which greatly affect an individual's network consumption behavior. This research investigated electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) in virtual communities and examined the influence of negative EWOM on the switching behavior of consumers. Based on the analysis of the extant theory, we proposed the elements of virtual community involvement, negative EWOM’s strength, consumer brand switching behavior, and complaint reaction. Subsequently, we postulated hypotheses. To explore the specific relationship between the variables further, we conducted an empirical test of the assumptions and the model using a questionnaire survey. Contrary to prior research findings, we found that virtual relationships cannot improve the reliability of negative EWOM, and that negative EWOM retransmission has no correlation with brand switching behavior.
Links between surface productivity and deep ocean particle flux at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain sustained observatory

Abstract. In this study we present hydrography, biogeochemistry and sediment trap observations between 2003 and 2012 at Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) sustained observatory in the Northeast Atlantic. The time series is valuable as it allows for investigation of the link between surface productivity and deep ocean carbon flux. The region is a perennial sink for CO2, with an average uptake of around 1.5 mmol m−2 day−1. The average monthly drawdowns of inorganic carbon and nitrogen were used to quantify the net community production (NCP) and new production. Seasonal NCP and new production were found to be 4.57 ± 0.85 mol C m−2 and 0.37 ± 0.14 mol N m−2, respectively. The C : N ratio was high (12) compared to the Redfield ratio (6.6), and the production calculated from carbon was higher than production calculated from nitrogen, which is indicative of carbon overconsumption. The export ratio and transfer efficiency were 16 and 4 %, respectively, and the site thereby showed high flux attenuation. Particle tracking was used to examine the source region of material in the sediment trap, and there was large variation in source regions, both between and within years. There were higher correlations between surface productivity and export flux when using the particle-tracking approach, than by comparing with the mean productivity in a 100 km box around the PAP site. However, the differences in correlation coefficients were not significant, and a longer time series is needed to draw conclusions on applying particle tracking in sediment trap analyses.
An Incremental K-means algorithm

Abstract Data clustering is an important data exploration technique with many applications in engineering, including parts family formation in group technology and segmentation in image processing. One of the most popular data clustering methods is K-means clustering because of its simplicity and computational efficiency. The main problem with this clustering method is its tendency to coverge at a local minimum. In this paper, the cause of this problem is explained and an existing solution involving a cluster centre jumping operation is examined. The jumping technique alleviates the problem with local minima by enabling cluster centres to move in such a radical way as to reduce the overall cluster distortion. However, the method is very sensitive to errors in estimating distortion. A clustering scheme that is also based on distortion reduction through cluster centre movement but is not so sensitive to inaccuracies in distortion estimation is proposed in this paper. The scheme, which is an incremental version of the K-means algorithm, involves adding cluster centres one by one as clusters are being formed. The paper presents test results to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm.
Structural design and optimization of a panel-based fitting robot

Paper No.18-00196 © 2018 The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers [DOI: 10.1299/jamdsm.2018jamdsm0091] Abstract The paper presents a panel-based robotic mannequin for garment fitting. This robot can deform the shell panels and change their positions to simulate different consumers’ body shapes. Then it will replace consumers to try on the clothes remotely, so as to avoid the troubles caused by geographical location. This paper mainly introduces the structural design and optimization of a new fitting robot, which comprises the optimization of the shell panels, the design of the mechanical structure, and the optimization of the control system. Furthermore, to obtain the fitting results of different body postures, we design a detachable arm structure. Based on the above work, we develop a new prototype of the female robotic mannequin. The testing results show that the accuracy of the deformation and the stability of the whole structure are improved. The fitting robot can accurately simulate most of the female human bodies and smoothly complete the remote fitting process. It can be applied to garment ecommerce, personalized customization and virtual fitting.
Unusual population attributes of invasive red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) in Japan: do they have a performance advantage?

The slider turtle (Trachemys scripta Thunberg in Schoepff, 1792) is native to the USA and Mexico. Due to the popularity of their colorful hatchlings as pets, they have been exported worldwide and are now present on all continents, except Antarctica. Slider turtles are well-established in Japan and occupy aquatic habitats in urban and agricultural areas, to the detriment of native turtles with which they compete. We asked the overall question, do slider turtles in Japan have a performance advantage because they are liberated from the numerous competing turtle species in their native range and released from many of their natural predators? Traits compared included various measures of adult body size (mean, maximum), female size at maturity as measured by size of gravid females, clutch size, population density and biomass, sex ratio, and sexual size dimorphism, the latter two a partial reflection of growth and maturity differences between the sexes. We sampled slider turtle populations in three habitats in Japan and compared population attributes with published data for the species from throughout its native range in the USA. Mean male body sizes were at the lower end of values from the USA suggesting that males in Japan may mature at smaller body sizes. The smallest gravid females in Japan mature at smaller body sizes but have mean clutch sizes larger than some populations in the USA. Compared to most populations in the USA, slider turtles achieve higher densities and biomasses in Japanese wetlands, especially the lotic system we sampled. Sex ratios were female-biased, the opposite of what is reported for many populations in protected areas of the USA. Sexual size dimorphism was enhanced relative to native populations with females as the larger sex. The enhanced dimorphism is likely a result of earlier size of maturity in Japanese males and the large size of mature (gravid) Japanese females. Slider turtles appear to have a performance advantage over native turtles in Japan, possibly as a result of being released from competition with numerous sympatric turtle species in their native range, and the absence of many co-evolved predators and parasites in Japan. This slight competitive edge, coupled with the catholic diet and broad tolerance of varying aquatic habitats of slider turtles, is reflected in their dominance over native and naturalized Japanese turtles in altered aquatic habitats.
Experimental Investigation of Turbulent Boundary Layers over Steep Two-dimensional Elevations

This work presents a laboratory study on the behavior of turbulent boundary layers over steep topographic elevations. Two main topics of interest are addressed here: (i) to investigate and characterize the separated flow region that is formed on the leeside of a steep elevation, and (ii) to evaluate the effects of flow stability conditions on the properties of boundary layers also subject to surface changes in elevation. To carry out this task, water channel and wind-tunnel investigations were conducted. For the former research topic, a neutrally stratified boundary layer was simulated in the water-channel of the Hydraulics Laboratory of FEUP. Mean and turbulent velocities were measured through laser-Doppler anemometry. Results provided a thorough description of the inner layers along the hill and inside the recirculation region. The refined near-wall data has contributed to the calculation of the friction velocity along the hill through different methods. For the latter topic, neutral, stable and unstable boundary layers were simulated in a wind-tunnel in the Laboratory of Turbulence Mechanics of COPPE/UFRJ. Simultaneous velocity and temperature fields were measured with the aid of thermal anemometry. These results allowed the characterization of the effects of the stratification on the speed-up factor, i.e. the maximum acceleration of the flow on hilltop. The present paper has introduced the concept of the heat up/down factor, in order to study the behaviour of the temperature field on the crest of the elevation.
Modification of Feedback Error Learning Technique for Desired Trajectory Tracking in the Presence of Disturbance

An improved version of feedback error learning (FEL) method is proposed for tracking desired trajectory in the presence of disturbance. As the feedback error learning technique is closely related to Nonlinear Adaptive Control (NLAC), the modification of NLAC for disturbance rejection is also focused on this paper. The sufficient conditions are obtained for asymptotically stability with lyapunov method and adaptation laws are presented for estimation of unknown parameters . It mathematically indicates that the use of FEL method normally cannot eliminate disturbance. Also, non-linear adaptive control method has not the ability to accurately estimate the unknown parameters and cannot provide zero tracking error in the presence of disturbance. Moreover, adding an integrator to both methods normally cannot resolve the problem. In this paper, a modification is proposed to solve the problem. The simulation results confirm the ability of proposed modification for disturbance rejection.
Religio-centric fashion advantage on marketing performance: the role of innovativeness and customer responsiveness

This study aims to investigate and examine the role of religio-centric fashion advantage in mediating the relationship of innovativeness and customers responsiveness with marketing performance in religious-based fashion industry. Structural equation modeling is used to test the research hypotheses on data basis of Islamic small fashion business in Indonesia. The data is taken from the responses of 335 respondents; questionnaire is distributed to the owner and manager of Islamic small fashion business in Central Java-Indonesia. The finding shows that innovativeness and customer responsiveness can increase marketing performance through religio-centric market advantage. Religio-centric fashion advantage arises from innovation capability and customers’ respond, and enables small businesses to increase marketing performance. By examining various literatures on resource-based view, market orientation, small business performance, entrepreneurship, and customer religiosity, this research offers a unique analysis about innovativeness and customers responsiveness as well as their impact on marketing performance in religious-based industry that receives less attention from researchers. Conceptual discussion and empirical result widen the previous research about innovation culture and customer orientation on small business becomes more specifically based on religion.
INSERTION DEVICES COMMISSIONING AT THE CLS

The Canadian Light Source (CLS) storage ring was commissioned in early 2004[1] and has been supplying light to a growing number of beamlines over the last two years[2]. Insertion devices (IDs) for the beamlines include three planar undulators, an elliptically polarizing undulator (EPU) and a superconducting (SC) wiggler. The properties of the IDs are shown in Table 1 and Fig. 1. Table 1: CLS Insertion Devices
A Microstrip Small-Sized Array Antenna Based on the Meta-Material Zeroth-Order Resonator

A novel microstrip array antenna based on the meta- material zeroth-order resonator (ZOR) is presented in this paper. Considering both zeroth-order resonance and the array theory, a resonant array antenna has been designed and fabricated which has small dimensions both in length and width as well as an acceptable gain. Since the resonant frequency of the zeroth-order resonator is independent of the physical length of the resonator and determined only by LC values loaded in the resonator, therefore, antenna size can be reduced arbitrarily with no changes in the operation frequency and due to the array structure antenna gain can be enhanced. Additional beneflt of the ZOR antennas is lower ohmic losses as compared to the other small antennas and hence the e-ciency of the antenna is higher. The discrepancy between simulation and measurement determined by fabricating some of the simulated design and comparison between the results, has been taken into account for designing the flnal array. A small-sized two-elements ZOR array antenna with 50% reduction in size as compared to the conventional array with a acceptable gain and broad radiation pattern is tested at 4.25GHz. The proposed antenna has application in radio altimeters. The commercial softwares such as CST and HFSS were utilized for design and analysis of the structure.
Optimal Monetary Policy and the Asset Market:A Non-cooperative Game

In this paper we construct a model of a policy game in order to analyse the optimal reaction function of the Central Bank to a shock in the asset market. In doing so, we consider three different noncooperative games: Nash equilibrium, Stackelberg equilibrium with “FED” as leader and “ECB” Stacklberg as leader. Three major conclusions can be drawn from our work in the presence of asset market shocks. First, in the Nash equilibrium the ECB will adopt a less restrictive monetary policy compared to the FED’s behaviour. Second, comparing the Nash and Stackelberg non-cooperative equilibria, the Stackelberg solution is certainly superior when the FED is the leader, but the Nash solution is superior for the follower. Finally, irrespective of where the shocks originate, if the FED would choose the Stackelberg leader equilibrium the ECB would minimize its social loss along with a lower level of interest rates.