Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A needle in a haystack: a search for value for money in turn-around strategies for schools in difficult circumstances

Background While current investments in school improvement occur in the context of the worldwide economic downturn, in the South African context, there is in addition widespread disparity in education provision and attainment related to pre-democracy race-based patterns. Despite the education sector receiving the largest national annual budget allocation (at least 20%), and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the business sector and even international aid agencies spending millions on school improvement projects, efforts at school improvement have not translated into the desired learning outcomes for students (reflected, for instance, in international comparison tests like TIMSS). This situation calls for deliberation on what constitutes ‘value for money’ in school improvement. Purpose In this paper we present a review of school improvement interventions in South Africa, with a view to discussing their efficiency and effectiveness in the local context. Design and methods The review of school improvement interventions in South Africa involved a systematic search of published and unpublished reports of South African schooling interventions, by both national education agencies and NGOs, aimed at improving the quality of schooling. Desktop searches were conducted on Google Scholar, targeting journals published in the last 10 years (2002 to 2011). Information on unpublished interventions was derived from sources outside of academic documents (e.g. annual reports and personal communications). Snowball sampling was used to reach as many projects as possible, starting from interventions in Johannesburg, which is the most populous city and economic centre of South Africa. Fifty published reports and 75 unpublished reports were reviewed. The information from each report was entered on a spreadsheet according to the aspects of schooling the intervention addressed. The data were then summarised using descriptive statistics and graphs. Conclusions Evidence from the review suggests that in the South African context, where access and equity in education are yet to be achieved for the majority of the population, ‘value for money’ is achieved most effectively when there is ‘connectedness’ across sectors (especially education, health and social services), and when value is in terms of gains for the whole of society or the common good.
An Approach to Brain Tumor MR Image Detection and Classification using Neuro Fuzzy

Segmentation is an important step in many applications, being also important in those that deal with medical images. Thresholding is one of the most important and used techniques for image segmentation. Some segmentation techniques based on thresholding are performed in order to segment the tumors. The conventional method used in medicine for brain magnetic resonance (MR) images classification and tumors detection is by human inspection. The use of artificial intelligent techniques, for instance, neural networks, fuzzy logic and neuro fuzzy have shown great potential in this field. Hence, in this study, the neuro fuzzy system or ANFIS is applied for classification purposes. ANFIS is applied to classify the abnormal brain based on the location of the tumors. The performance of the ANFIS classifier is evaluated in terms of training performance and classification accuracy and the results confirmed that the proposed ANFIS classifier has potential in classifying the tumors.
A Theoretical Model to Measure Creativity at a University

Abstract Measuring creativity at a tertiary educational level has been problematic due to the diverse teaching and learning processes and programmes used in tertiary educational institutions. The objective of this research paper is to develop a theoretical model to measure creativity on a tertiary education level to actively support the creative development of students. To develop this model, the experimental design included an extensive literature study of various creativity models in order to identify the constructs that influence the creativity of university students. A total of twenty-eight creativity influences were observed which ultimately culminated into the selection of the eleven most important influences which resulted in a theoretical model. This model is of great value because tertiary education is important in equipping graduates with creative skills to apply in the global and competitive business and social environments.
Variability in Protein and Esterase Profiles of Botryodiplodia theobromae an Incitant of Longitudinal Splitting of Bark and Wood Disease of Acidlime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle)

Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) is one of the important citrus fruit grown over an area of 0.90m ha and constitutes nearly 20% of the total citrus production 90.75mts in India. In India, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, and Assam are the leading acid lime growing states. Among the states, A.P occupies the first place both in area and production of limes followed by Maharashtra.
Trends in Inequality in Pakistan between 1998-99 and 2001-02

Although there has been a much debate on poverty in Pakistan in recent time, the discussion on inequality remained limited. Poverty and inequality are closely linked—for a given mean income, the more unequal the income distribution, the larger the percentage of the population living in income poverty. Thus, incomes at the top and in the middle of the distribution may be just as important to us in perceiving and measuring poverty as those at the bottom. It is, thus, important to monitor the whole income distribution rather than merely the bottom of distribution. The issue of income inequality in Pakistan has been important in the policy discussions since the early 1960s. Since then, a number of attempts have been made to estimate the income or expenditure inequality using the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) data. However, a perception of increasing absolute poverty in Pakistan has shifted the focus of studies from inequality (or relative poverty) to absolute poverty. Consequently, a number of attempts have been made by various authors/institutions to estimate the poverty in Pakistan in the 1990s. The debate on trends in poverty during the 1990s—an era of stabilisation and structural adjustment has been wide-ranging in Pakistan. However, there is no discussion on the changes in income distribution from the policy and institutional reforms. World Bank (2003); FBS (2001) and Kemal (2003) are only three exceptions. While the former two studies report Gini Coefficients in their studies on absolute poverty in Pakistan without explaining its variations over time, the latter study is a comprehensive review on the income distribution in Pakistan. It is this context that guided the author to evaluate the trends in inequality in Pakistan using the most recently available household data sets—PIHS 1998-99 and 2001-02. The results for the year 2001-02 are being presented for the first time, which should be useful to
Switch-Beam Vivaldi Array Antenna Based On 4x4 Butler Matrix for mmWave

It will be diffcult to use either omnidirectional or fixed beam antenna due to the high propagation losses caused by atmospheric absorption at mmWave for 5G mobile communication. Several studies have been conducted recently using butler matrix which is part of switchable antenna with some advantages such as simple, minimal cost, low loss, etc. Previous studies also have designed vivaldi array antenna at 28 GHz which provides a fix beam directional radiation pattern with narrow beam that requires real phase setting. However, there has been no research using vivaldi antenna with butler matrix, whereas it has some advantages such as wide bandwidth, high gain, high directivity, etc. This paper proposed 4x4 butler matrix integrated with vivaldi antenna by using phase shift of 45 . The design is developed on a single layer of Rogers RT5880 with dielectric constant 2.2 and thickness 0.254 mm. Best results of simulation were picked for overall system at 28 GHz, and the results of antenna as follows: the return loss was below -10 dB, the realized antennas gain was 10.2 dB with unidirectional radiation pattern and bandwidth antenna of 6 GHz that covers from 25 GHz to 31 GHz. The butler matrix average phase di erent between output port are -44.106°, 137.38°, -137.66°, 43.95° with phase err°r °f 0.894°, 2.38°, 2.66°, 1.06°. Antenna array that has been given di erent phase by butler matrix is able to shift radiation pattern on the input port successively with range of beam that can be achieved equal to 185o.
Study of salinity effects on the inorganic phosphorus transformation in three different soil series of Ganges River Floodplain

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of salinity level on different forms of inorganic phosphorus (P) transformation in three different soil series such as Amjhupi, Gopalpur and Bajoa located in Ganges River Floodplain. Two non-saline soils and one slightly saline soil with different textural classes were collected from these sites. The salinity treatments were 0, 6, 10 and 13 dSm-1 with three replications. The treated soils were then incubated in laboratory at field capacity moisture condition. To determine the transformation of different forms of inorganic P, sampling was done for 0, 14, 21, 42 and 84 days. Different forms of inorganic P such as soluble and exchangeable phosphorus (SE-P), iron and aluminium bound phosphorus (Fe and Al-P), calcium bound phosphorus (Ca-P) and residual phosphorus (RE-P) were determined. For Amjhupi soil series, the sequence of different forms of inorganic P was RE-P>Ca-P>Fe and Al-P>SE-P according to their amount. For Gopalpur and Bajoa soil series, the sequence was Ca- P>RE-P>Fe and Al-P>SE-P and RE-P>Ca-P>Fe and Al-P>SE-P, respectively. The sequence clearly indicates that the soluble and exchangeable P decreases with time due to salinity which reduces the uptake of P and ultimately reduces the yield. The changes were statistically significant ( p<0.0001 ) in case of all three soils. Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 5 (1): 71-79, 2016 (June)
Acceptance and use of technology by older adults for choosing a tour-ism destination: a study using UTAUT2

Older adults are increasingly interested in new technologies and relate them to learning, social inclusion, and leisure. Considering the high number of changes in the profile of the Brazilian elderly and the tourism and technological contexts, this work aims to understand the behavioral intentions and the use of the Internet by the elderly for choosing a tourism destination. To this end, the work extended the UTAUT2 Model of Venkatesh, Thong and Xu (2012), including new constructs related to technology: Perceived Risk and Trust, by Slade et al. (2015) and adding Attitude, based on Curras-Perez, Ruiz-Mafe and Sanz-Blas (2014). The study is characterized as exploratory-descriptive. A survey was conducted online and face-to-face, for two months. Statistical analysis of multivariate analysis was performed using SPSS20 and the modeling analysis of structural equations using SmartPLS. The sample obtained was of 211 older adults who use Internet for tourism purposes. As a result, the relations of the Habit, Hedonic Motivation, Trust, and Performance Expectancy as determinants of the Internet Use Attitude for tourism purposes and, in addition to that, the relation of the Habit construct, positively affecting the Use Behavior. As far as the originality of the work is concerned, Attitude was a new concept used to compose the model, bringing something unprecedented to this field of studies in Brazil. In addition, the innovations include the application of the UTAUT2 model to the Brazilian context, in a segment and market sector not yet explored in this field of research – older people and tourism. Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Elaboration of the theoretical framework, data collection, tabulation, data processing and analysis, writing and preparation of the paper. 2 Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Guidance on research design and data analysis, critical review of the work; final approval. 3 Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Guidance on research design, critical review of the work; final approval 4 Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Elaboration of the theoretical framework, data collection, tabulation and data analysis, writing and preparation of the paper. Paper submitted in: 13/01/2017. Paper accepted in: 29/03/2017. Paper
Natural-Convection Flow of Nanofluids Over Vertical Cone Embedded in Non-Darcy Porous Media

In this paper, non-Darcy flow and natural convection over a vertical cone embedded in a porous medium saturated with a nanofluid is studied using the Forchheimer-extended Darcy law. The model used for the nanofluid incorporates the effects of Brownian motion and thermophoresis. An analytical technique, similarity solution method, is used to convert the governing equations into a set of ordinary differential equations, and then numerically solved using the finite difference method. The effect of non-Darcy parameter and nanofluid parameters on the velocity, temperature, and nanoparticles volume fraction profiles, as well as on the two important parameters of heat and mass transfer, i.e., reduced Nusselt and Sherwood numbers, are discussed. The results show that an increase in the non-Darcy parameter decreases the velocity profiles, whereas it would increase the temperature and concentration profiles. Simulation results also show that an increase in the non-Darcy parameter would decrease the reduced Nusselt .
An Improved Algorithm based on Time Domain Network Evolution

Community evolution is the highlight in the field of complex network. The current typical tracking community algorithms largely focus on adopting the traditional similarity functional measurements to capture the similarity between communities at temporal snapshots. However, it doesn’t take into account the actions accumulated with the events and the effects of community members in evolutionary networks. Meanwhile, different communities use traditional tracking methods with a simple similarity function, and as a result, many analogous communities cannot be effectively extracted in the network. To address these shortcomings, in this paper, we propose a much more powerful similarity function to catch and evaluate communities or groups in a successive time frame. We implement a community tracking method in our new function on the basis of previous research, in which we improve accuracy in network structure by taking the diversity corresponding to the active node in network-evolution into consideration. Finally, we find an interesting phenomenon and give a new method to weigh out the relationships involving active nodes within community evolution over time frames. Eventually, the performance of our algorithm is measured by applying it to real datasets and it is tested on tracking community structure and assessing the experimental results that inhibit active nodes extracted from the community. The experimental results show that our algorithm can effectively keep track of community structure and outperform other algorithms.
Basalt fibers: the green material of the XXI-century, for a sustainable restoration of historical buildings

In recent decades in the construction industry, the need to experience consolidation techniques with non-corroding materials is being developed. Studies and tests have been led about integration of basalt fibers in concrete structures: they have shown improvements both in terms of mechanical strength and in terms of intervention of consolidation durability ( Olafsson , Thorhallsson, 2009). The basalt rock can be used to produce not only basalt bars, but also fabrics, paddings, continuous filaments and basalt network. Some applications of these basalt-composites materials concern the consolidation of civil construction structures, thermal and acoustic insulation, security clothing, etc. Some years ago the Italian company ENEA (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) has signed an agreement with HG GBF (one of the world's leading companies in the production of basalt fibers), for the verification of possible applications of this material in the construction field but also in the nautical and automotive ones. The use of basalt fiber in construction could present a series of advantages: natural origin, a cycle of production to lower energy impact compared to other fibers, a high chemical inertia and thus a high degree of durability, low thermal conductivity, good mechanical and thermo-acoustic properties, high fire resistance, a competitive cost and, in general, more environmental compatibility and sustainability than other synthetic fibers.
Interactive comment on “ Identifying residence times and streamflow generation processes using δ 18 O and δ 2 H in mesoscale catchments in the Abay / Upper Blue Nile , Ethiopia ” by S . Tekleab

General comment: This paper presents baseline information about residence times and stream flow generation processes in two catchments of the upper Nile River. The analysis is conducted based on water samples taken between 2008-2011 of precipitation, stramflow, and spring water. The paper lacks proper discussion of the results and statistical analysis, In addition very little is mentioned about physical processes. The paper will benefit from separating the results and discussion sections. There is no mention about the advantage of using both d18O and d2H. Would the findings change if they only had one set of samples? If so maybe the paper could be shorter by eliminating one of them. Even though it is true that regional studies are little the manuscript would benefit from contextualization with other meso-scale studies in other continents. Finally the paper should be revised for grammatical and spelling mistakes which in many cases prevent the reader from understanding the content.
A passivity based-sliding mode control approach for the regulation of power factor precompensators

A controller design method which combines passivity based control and sliding mode control is presented for the feedback regulation of a class of switched power converters, the "power factor precompensators" (PFP). Aside from load voltage regulation to a prespecified constant level a vital additional control objective is to avoid reactive losses by keeping the input power factor close to unity. A passivity plus sliding mode control approach is proposed which forces the input current to follow a suitable reference signal which is in phase with the rectified supplied voltage. This results in approximately satisfying both control objectives for the converter. Simulation results are furnished for assessing the performance of the proposed feedback control laws.
Poroelasticity: parameters reviewed

SUMMARY Deformation of porous rocks is investigated by experts of various fields. This is probably the reason why poroelastic parameters are neither uniformly defined nor represented by standard symbols in the literature, and why inconsistencies have appeared in some publications. This paper is intended to clarify the use of material properties in order to facilitate application of poroelasticity theory. The key parameters referenced from a selection of mostly recent papers are: drained and undrained moduli and Poisson ratios, grain and pore compressibilities, the coefficient of effective stress, the Skemption ratio (pore pressure parameter), storage parameters, the Darcy conductivity, and the hydraulic diffusivity. The latter parameter governs the diffusional behaviour of poroelastic processes, as has been demonstrated by Rice & Cleary (1976). Herein, their formulation of the theory is used. References to Biot's (1941) parameters, which may be more familiar to some researchers, are given for completeness. A variety of extensions of the theory that have been elaborated by others is outlined in the last section.
Application of the Log-Hyperbolic Distribution to Hawai'ian Beach Sands

Statistical parameters of the log-normal distribution have been widely used in the textural analysis of particle size data. Graphical or moment measures have traditionally been used to discriminate between environments and for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. However, recent work has indicated that the log-hyperbolic probability density function may be more appropriate for quantifying observed mass frequency data of sediments. The objective of this study is to assess the applicability of the log-hyperbolic distribution for characterizing Hawai'ian carbonate beach sands and to test whether this model can discriminate between beach subenvironments. A grid-based design was used to sample the upper sedimentation unit at 126 locations on Waimanalo Beach, Oahu, Hawai'i. The log-hyperbolic distribution fit 70%, of the sand samples. Exploratory data analysis indicated that the beach had a complex textural pattern. Therefore, the beach was divided into a backshore zone, and the foreshore was divided into three separate zones, the lower, middle, and upper foreshore. Size and sorting parameters of the log-hyperbolic distribution indicated little significant difference between the upper foreshore and backshore sediments. Typical gain size (v) was coarsest in the lower foreshore (0.43 mm) and finest in the mid-foreshore (0.23mm). Upper foreshore and backshore sediments were the best sorted i.e., the highest values of ᵹ, ᶘ and k), while the lower and middle foreshore zones were the most poorly sorted. The distribution shape (asymmetry) parameter π indicated that all four subenvironments were significantly different, with a median value of -0.45 for the lower foreshore and a negative skewness (x) of -0.13. These values indicate a dominant coarse population and a subordinate fine population. A hydrodynamic hypothesis is presented to explain the complex spatial pattern of beach sediments. This involves energy dissipation and traction load deposition in the lower foreshore, and subsequent shoreward transport of finer particles in the less competent swash. Infiltration into the beach sediments produces a shoreward fining sequence that is subsequently modified by selective aeolian transport.
New CAPS Marker for Selection of a Barley Powdery Mildew Resistance Gene in the Mla Locus

In PI466495, a powdery mildew resistance source of wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum), one gene conferring powdery mildew resistance was identified in the Mla locus. In this paper, the RGH1a gene sequence was used as source for the development of a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker. Co-segregation between this marker and powdery mildew resistance was analysed by specific DNA fragments associated with each allele of the gene using 286 F2 plants derived from a cross between winter barley (H. vulgare L.) variety ‘Tiffany’ and PI466495. For the co-dominant marker RGH1aI1a, three fragments, 370 bp, 82 bp and 59 bp in size, were amplified from F2 plants exhibiting resistance reaction types 0 and 0–1 to powdery mildew; whereas two fragments, 429 bp and 82 bp in size, were amplified in susceptible plants. Simple procedures based on polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme digestion allowed for identifying the plants susceptible to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei) and plants homozygous or heterozygous for the resistance allele. The RGH1aI1a marker was positioned 0.85 cM to the resistance gene and the efficiency of marker-assisted selection (MAS), evaluated as the probability of crossing-over between the marker and the targeted gene, was 99%. The CAPS marker RGH1aI1a is a valuable candidate for MAS and gene transfer into barley varieties susceptible to powdery mildew.