Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IN DEMOCRATIC AND AUTHORITARIAN CONTEXTS

In spite of much great research since the last three decades, still there are many essential things about motivation that we need to know. It becomes a mystery because although it exists in everyone but the way of showing is different in terms of degree, time and context. One of the important responsibilities of school administrator is discovering and nurturing motivation between individuals in any educational process. The purpose of the study is to investigate the process of reading motivation and reading comprehension in relation to both Malaysian higher educational context types namely, Democratic and Authoritarian with learners‟ gender to find out whether the degree of performance qualitatively vary as educational context and learners‟ variable vary. To this end, three hypotheses were raised, which were tested through lengthy and multi instrumental procedures. Results showed that educational context have significant effect on learner performance. Students out performed in Democratic context in both reading motivation and reading comprehension and the Democratic educational setting gender groups showed highest performance level and the Authoritarian setting groups stood as a lowest performance.
HYBRIDIZING BIOMETRICS BASED VISUAL TRACKING WITH FACE AND GESTURES USING SVM AND WAVELETS

Gender and gesture recognition has been a topic of research for many researchers for more than a decade. Researchers have worked on gender recognition and gesture recognition as two separate entities, and have achieved optimum results in both the domains. But, very few have worked on improving the quality of gender and gesture detection together in videos. In this paper, we propose a framework for improving accuracy of gender and gesture recognition, which can be used in visual surveillance systems as a tool to measure the irregularities in user behaviour of a particular gender. We have used daubichies based wavelets & spiking neural network (SNN) for gesture recognition and viola-jones cascade object detection combined with support vector machine (SVM) and facial geometry features in order to improve the quality of gender detection from faces. Our results when compared with k-Nearest Neighbour and Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) provides a 10% improvement in accuracy of gender recognition and 15% improvement of accuracy in gesture recognition from standard and real time videos. We plan to further enhance this work using machine learning in order to reduce the delay of processing for the system.
Application of biosensors in cancer research

Cancer research is based mainly on identifying many features of cells including mutations in DNA or RNA, changes in proteins and protein levels as well as on comparing cells’ properties like morphology, adhesion or elasticity. The most interesting techniques for biological applications, among different microscopies, are those using biosensors. As an analytical device, biosensor enables the binding of the selected analyte to the examined biological material (e.g. tissue, cells, proteins, RNA, DNA). They can be classified according to their transducer type or the biorecognition elements placed on the sensor. Most analysis performed on biosensors require the labeling of the analyte with a specific marker. However, there are also many techniques that allow a direct detection of analytes without prior labeling. The common “label-free” biosensor technologies are the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). In this review we would like to focus on the currently described examples of biosensors used as diagnostic and prognostic tools for cancer development.
TRAJECTORY GENERATION FOR SPATIAL HUMANOID ROBOTS USING ASSUR ' S VIRTUAL CHAINS THROUGH SCREW THEORY

This paper presents the kinematic model and a strategy of trajectory generation for a spatial humanoid robots (HRs) using the concept of floating base through the screw theory and its tools: Assur’s virtual chains and Davies’s method. The resulting mechanism is a complex spatial parallel mechanism with four loops. Associating Davies’s method, the differential kinematics of the spatial HR was modeled and the Jacobian matrix was obtained. Thus, the velocities of the “real” joints were obtained by using the inverse of that Jacobian and their position were obtained by means of numerical methods. The kinematic model and the trajectory generation were developed including the ZMP as a gait stability criterion. The used modeling approach allowed to obtain a single kinematic representation of a biped robot motion which is independent from any fixed reference frame, and also independent of the degree of freedom of robotic mechanisms. The modeling approach was applied to a specific HR (Bioloid, from Robotis) and the trajectory generation was developed using the geometric constraints method by the Assur’s virtual chains. The related results are presented graphically from computer simulations.
A New Watermarking Approach– Combined RW/CDMA in Spatial and Frequency Domain

— In this report we study some watermarking methods and the comparison result of their combination, the first one is based on the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) in frequency domain DWT(Discrete Wavelet Transform) noted CDMA-DWT ,CDMA in DCT(Discrete Cosine Transform ) noted CDMA-DCT and CDMA in spatial domain noted CDMA-SD and its aim is to verify the image authenticity whereas the second one is the reversible watermarking (the least significant bits LSB and cryptography tools) noted RW and the reversible contrast mapping RCM its objective is to check the integrity of the image and to keep the confidentiality of the patient data. A new scheme of watermarking is the combination of the reversible watermarking and the CDMA method on the field of spatial domain noted RW/CDMA-SD and second combination in frequency domain (DWT and DCT ) domain noted respectively RW/CDMA-DWT and RW/CDMA-DCT to verify the three security properties Integrity, Authenticity and Confidentiality of medical data and patient information. In the end ,we made a comparison between these methods within the parameters of quality of medical images. Initially, an in-depth study on the characteristics of medical images would contribute to improve these methods to measurements have been done on the watermarked image to verify that this technique does not lead to a wrong diagnostic. The robustness of the watermarked images against attacks has been verified on the parameters of PSNR (Peak Signal to Noise Ratio), MSE (Mean Square Error), MAE (Mean Absolute Error) and SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) which show that the resulting quality of combination watermarking method is good in DCT than in DWT and spatial domain.
C-K THEORY IN PRACTICE : LESSONS FROM INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Hatchuel and Weil presented recently a new design theory, called C-K theory. In this paper we discuss applications of C-K theory to innovative and contrasting design situations: i) A science based product (Mg-CO2 engines for Mars exploration) ii) Creativity based products ("smart tools" developed by a start-up). We show how C-K theory can have both a descriptive-interpretative power and a prescriptive-normative power for innovative design activities: C-K theory helps to control the structuring of upstream design phases and it supports the simultaneous exploration of functions (constraints) and design parameters. The theory helps to highlight two different design strategies that fit each design situation (depth-first or breadth first).
Management of the Formation of Rating Preferences of Economic Entities upon Collective Choice

The applicability of a set of methods in the case of obtaining mixed results of the final ranking of economic entities in the process of their rating assessment has been substantiated. A new method of the formation of rating preferences upon collective choice has been proposed. The methodology is based on the following: An information base in the form of a summary table of ratings of compared entities; a procedure for the formation of rating preferences based on a rank-sum (or arithmetic means of ranks); a procedure for the formation of rating preferences with the joint application of rating arithmetic means and position indicators; a procedure for the formation of rating preferences using the Kemeny median. The proposals for the calculation of weighting factors of the voting procedures and modification of the procedure for profiling the preferences using the Kemeny median have been made. An algorithm for the use of the proposed method has been developed. Methodology testing has been conducted upon the rating assessment of the financial and economic condition of industrial enterprises
Chapter 1 : A Data Utility Model for Data Intensive Applications in Fog Environments

Sensors, smart devices, and wearables have been widely adopted in recent years, bringing to the production of a big amount of data which can be shared between several applications using these data as input for their analysis. Data intensive applications can get advantage of these data only if they are reliable and if they fit the requirements of the application. Designing data intensive applications requires a trade-off between the value obtained by the analysis of the data, which is affected by their quality and volume, and the performance of the analysis, affected by delays in accessing the data and availability of the data source. In this chapter, we present a Data Utility model used to assess the fitness of a data source with respect to its usage in a data intensive application running in a Fog environment. In this context, data are provided using a Data as a Service approach and, both data storage and data processing, can be placed in a cloud resource as well as in an edge device. The placement of a resource affects the quality of the service and the Data Utility as well. On this basis, the Data Utility model provides a support for making decisions on the deployment of data intensive applications according to the impact of the task location, and on the selection of proper data sources as input for the application according to the application requirements, taking into consideration that both tasks and data can be moved from the edge to the cloud, and vice versa, to improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of applications.
INVESTIGATION OF AGGLOMERATION AND DISPERSION OF REINFORCEMENT ON THE VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF CNT REINFORCED POLYMERIC COMPOSITES

In this research, effect of agglomeration and dispersion of Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on viscoelastic properties of CNT-reinforced polymeric nanocomposites is investigated. The effective properties of the nanocomposite are obtained by the Mori-Tanaka micromechanical approach, assuming completely random oriented CNTs. Considering spherical shaped inclusions for CNTs agglomerated region, two parameters are presented and applied to the Mori-Tanaka micromechanical method to model the agglomeration and dispersion of the CNTs. The polymeric matrix is assumed to be viscoelastic. The viscoelastic properties of polymer matrix are simulated by standard linear solid model with three structural parameters. Due to time-dependency of constitutive equation of the matrix, direct using of the micromechanical method is not possible. Hence, the constitutive equations of the matrix are transferred to the Laplace domain and algebraic form of the mentioned equations are inserted to the Mori-Tanaka relations. To verify the model, predicted results of that are compared with available experimental data for CNT reinforced polymeric nanocomposites. Investigation of agglomeration parameters shows that the overall properties of the composite can be improved by decreasing agglomeration of the CNTs.
Microbial Communities in Paddy Fields in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam Functional and Molecular Diversity

Rice paddy fields are considered to be unique ecosystems. Intensive rice cultivation was developed to increase yield and to meet the need of food security. This practice has many negative effects on the soil ecosystem, such as reduction of soil nutrients, soil and water pollution and increase in soil-borne plant pathogens and a possible reduction of soil microorganism diversity. Alternative management strategies are required to counteract these negative effects to maintain soil fertility. The aims of this thesis are to investigate the microbial community in the rice paddy field to assess the influence of microorganisms on the degree of crop residue degradation and in protecting the next crop against soil-borne plant pathogens, including Rhizoctonia solani, and to understand the relationship between microbial diversity and functional groups involved in straw degradation and the inhibition of R. solani growth. Furthermore, the effect of intensive rice cultivation on the yield, abundance and diversity of the total bacterial community and on the diazotrophic bacterial community compared with the rice crop rotation system is investigated. Bacteria isolated from rice stubble with both cellulolytic and combined cellulolytic and chitinolytic activity were phylogenetically linked to distinct microbial groups. Selected bacterial isolates with these functions inhibited R. solani growth on agar plates; most of these isolates seemed to be neutral with respect to their effect on rice seed germination and radicle length. There was a positive relationship between straw weight loss and the number of isolates and functional groups. Fungal isolates were more important for straw degradation than the bacteria. The growth of R. solani was inhibited when it was inoculated on degraded straw. There was a negative relationship between straw weight loss and the growth of R. solani. Finally, crop management practices had a significant effect on both rice production and bacterial community structure. Rice yield from all the rice crop rotations that included maize and/or mungbean was significantly higher than that from the rice monoculture. Besides the yield effect, the structure and diversity of the total bacterial community and of the potential nitrogen-fixing bacterial community were significantly influenced by crop rotation when compared with that detected in the rice monoculture soil. This thesis highlights that crop rotation systems had a positive impact on rice production and on soil microbial diversity in the rice field ecosystem. Results from this study can be applied in the future development of a sustainable rice management.
Brand Personality Differentiation in the Australian Action-Sports Clothing Market

This research explores the application of Aaker’s (1997) brand-personality (BP) construct in the Australian action-sports (A/S) youth branded clothing market. It investigates the potential for detecting differences in the BP profiles of three A/S clothing brands (Hooker Technologies, Volcom, SMP) as well as a mainstream clothing brand (JAG). Based on the results from 300 Australian respondents actively involved in the A/S subculture, Aaker’s (1997) BP construct was effective in profiling the three A/S brands consistent with the nature of the A/S subculture and its image. Further, Aaker’s BP construct was able to determine significant BP profile differences amongst the three A/S clothing brands, as well as identifying BP profile differences between A/S-branded clothing and mainstream branded clothing.
Declining population of wild ungulates in the Masai Mara ecosystem: a sign of resource competition

This study reveals that loss of wildlife wet season range and habitat fragmentation through land use changes has a much wider impact on the dynamics of wild ungulates than do the effects of climatic variations. If climate were the only factor affecting the wild herbivores in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem (SME), we could expect similar changes in species population in both the Masai Mara ecosystem (MM) and the Serengeti ecosystem (SE). But the results shows a higher of wild ungulates in the MM, with most declines occurring after 1985, whereas the decline in the Serengeti has involved only a few species. The declines were more rapid among the larger-bodied ungulates than among the smaller-bodied ones during the non-migratory period. There are signs of possible competition between species during the non-migratory (decline of 10 out of 13 wild ungulates) or periods of limited food supply than in the dry season (decline of 6 out of 13 wild ungulates). The declines in wildebeest and buffalo were mainly associated with intraspecific competition for food. The resident wildebeest population declined heavily during the period 1977-85, which was a period of low rainfall. The resident zebra population remained stable, dominating in areas of poor vegetation production (the Loita plain), and wildebeest dominated areas of high productivity (the Mara range unit). Thomson’s gazelle, topi, kongoni, warthog, and buffalo declined as the zebra, wildebeest and elephant populations levelled off after 1985. The decline of Thomson’s gazelle and topi was steeper during the migratory season than during the non-migratory season. The buffalo, kongoni and warthog the decline was steeper in the wet season than in the dry season. The study concludes that the loss of the wet season habitat (the Loita plains) has had a major impact on the population dynamics (changes in population densities and distribution) in the MM. Further loss of wildlife habitat to agriculture and the fragmentation of land will cause more declines wildlife population through resource competition as indicated in the high declines during both the non-migratory (low forage) and migratory periods (high forage). ∗ submitted to Journal of Animal Ecology Declining wild ungulate population resource competition 152 8.
Three-dimensional PIV measurements of bubble drag and lift coefficients in restricted media

A hybrid scheme combining Particle Image Velocimetry and Shadow Image Velocimetry has been used for a full-volume, three-dimensional, transient study of the shape, trajectory and forces acting on air bubbles rising in stagnant tap water in restricted media. The bubble Reynolds number ranged from 400 to 650. The three-dimensional reconstruction of the bubble was accomplished by combining images from two orthogonal views. This reconstruction process allowed for measurement of dimensions, orientation, trajectory, rotation, velocity and acceleration of an individual rising bubble. These parameters were then used to compute drag and lift forces acting on the bubble. Instantaneous values of drag and lift coefficients were then determined. These experimental results were compared to known experimental data and values obtained from correlations found in scientific literature. It was found that correlations intended for determining drag coefficient values should be adequately modified when necessary to account for wall impact, since the drag coefficient magnitude is considerably higher than that predicted by such correlations at Re below 550. Regarding the bubble lift coefficient, instantaneous data scatter noticeably as a function of Re, but average values agree within the range of known data. The major contributors to the uncertainty in this experiment were the capability of accurately reconstructing the 2D shape of the bubbles from distorted and/or incomplete PIV images and determining the bubble centroid. An overall error of 7% was computed for the drag coefficient, but it rises up to 44% for the lift coefficient.
An RNA catalyst that reacts with a mechanistic inhibitor of serine proteases

The enzymatic catalysis of difficult chemical reactions often requires the utilization of mechanisms completely different from those used in the uncatalyzed reaction. The catalytic triad of the serine proteases is an illustrative example for the cooperation of functional groups to achieve the hydrolysis of a very stable peptide bond via a covalent intermediate. Ribozymes for this demanding reaction that use similar mechanisms have neither been discovered nor developed to date. Here, we challenge a combinatorial RNA library with an active site-directed mechanistic inhibitor of serine proteases in order to identify RNA molecules with a chemical reactivity comparable to the residues in the catalytic center of thrombin. The adduct formed by this inhibitor is thought to mimic the first transition state in a complex reaction pathway and contains a weak electrophile. Indeed, various RNAs are enriched that accelerate their covalent attachment to the inhibitor, and several of them share a common motif that features a four-way junction. These RNAs specifically alkylate the N7-position of one particular guanosine, precisely recognizing structural features of the inhibitor. The selected RNAs may represent a valuable starting point for the further evolution of ribozymes with protease activity.
An Improved Heuristic for Minimizing Total Completion Time on Single Machine with Release Time

This study considers the scheduling problem of minimizing the total completion time on a single machine with release dates. In view of the NP-Hard nature of the problem, one heuristic (called MM) was proposed for this problem. The proposed heuristic and two others (AEO and HR1) selected from the literature were tested on a total of 450 randomly generated single machine scheduling problems ranging from 3 to 500 jobs. Experimental results show that the proposed heuristic outperforms the AEO algorithm with respect to effectiveness and efficiency. Also, the proposed heuristic outperforms the HR1 heuristic with respect to effectiveness.
Transforms and Calculations: Behind the Mathematics of Psychophysiology

There are numerous scholarly documents with accurate and thorough explanations of the basis of the mathematical processes that have become essential to the field of psychophysiology. Review of many of these has revealed a pervasive emphasis on the technical and theoretical aspects of these formulae and theories with little or no emphasis on the primary and basic understanding of their development and application. This article specifically bridges the gap between the introduction of several cogent mathematical concepts and their ultimate applications within the field of applied psychophysiology, biofeedback, and neurofeedback. Special attention is given to the distinction between transforms and calculations and some of the statistical methods used to analyze them. Because the focus of this article is to enhance conceptual comprehension, integral, differential, and matrix mathematics are not referenced in any of the examples or explanations with the primary reliance on some algebra with verbal and pictorial.
Retweet Prediction in Sina Weibo Based on Entity-Level Sentiment Analysis

Sina Weibo and other microblogs have rapidly become significant means by which people communicate with the world and each other. There has been a large number of studies surrounding retweet behavior, focusing on a variety of features that may explain why people retweet certain weibo content or certain user’s weibo. However, they didn’t consider the sentiment aspect or simply use the sentencelevel sentiment analysis which is not accurate enough. In this paper, we use Wikipedia and syntactic infomation to build user profile with entity-level sentiment analysis, then use this profile to predict user retweet behavior and with other common features we try to figure out what role entitylevel emotion plays in user’s retweet bahavior. Experiments on real weibo dataset shows our approach’s effectivceness and emotion is an important factor in retweet behavior.