Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and Empirical Research on PLS Path Model-based Public Cultural Service Satisfaction Index

In this paper, partial least squares (PLS) path technology is applied to build an evaluation model of public cultural services satisfaction index, analyzing the satisfaction index of the public regarding public cultural services, thus providing a theoretical basis for the efficient implementation of public cultural services. The research shows that the key factors affecting public satisfaction index are successively public value perception, public value perception, public expectation, and perception of service innovation, service conditions, service contents, service channels from high to low. The satisfaction indexes of the four elements in public culture service system are successively service conditions, service contents, service innovation and service channels from high to low. Satisfaction index difference analysis indicates that there is statistical significance in the satisfaction index difference of different income groups, and PLS path model is applicable to the evaluation of public cultural services satisfaction index.
Fundamentals and Exchange Rates: Evidence from ASEAN-5

Utilizing the combined-form of PPP and UIP we estimate the cointegrating relations for ASEAN-5 economies. The study uses quarterly data over the period from 1980 to 2008. The findings reveal that exchange rate, interest rates and prices are cointegrated, implying that there is co-movement among them in the long run. We also find that the hypothesis – PPP augmented by interest rates forms a cointegrating vector – cannot be rejected. This piece of evidence is consistent with the capital enhanced equilibrium exchange rates (CHEERs) approach, which states that the deviations from PPP can be explained by the interest rates differentials. These evidences defiantly would provide the help in formulating exchange rate policies in ASEAN-5 countries.
Fiscal Competition over Taxes and Public Inputs: Theory and Evidence

We set up a model to characterize the reaction functions of governments competing for mobile capital by simultaneously setting both the business tax rate as well as the level of provision of a productive public input. Using a rich data set of local jurisdictions, we then test the predictions of the model with respect to the nature of strategic interaction among governments. Our findings from efficient estimation of a system of spatially interrelated equations for both policy instruments support the notion that local governments use both the business tax rate and public inputs to compete for capital. In particular, we find that if neighbors cut their tax rates, governments try to restore competitiveness by lowering their own tax and increasing spending on public inputs. If neighbors provide more infrastructure, governments react by increasing their own spending on public inputs.
Hardware-Efficient Scalable Reinforcement Learning Systems

Reinforcement Learning (RL) is a machine learning discipline in which an agent learns by interacting with its environment. In this paradigm, the agent is required to perceive its state and take actions accordingly. Upon taking each action, a numerical reward is provided by the environment. The goal of the agent is thus to maximize the aggregate rewards it receives over time. Over the past two decades, a large variety of algorithms have been proposed to select actions in order to explore the environment and gradually construct an e¤ective strategy that maximizes the rewards. These RL techniques have been successfully applied to numerous real-world, complex applications including board games and motor control tasks. Almost all RL algorithms involve the estimation of a value function, which indicates how good it is for the agent to be in a given state, in terms of the total expected reward in the long run. Alternatively, the value function may reect on the impact of taking a particular action at a given state. The most fundamental approach for constructing such a value function consists of updating a table that contains a value for each state (or each state-action pair). However, this approach is impractical for large scale problems, in which the state and/or action spaces are large. In order to deal with such problems, it is necessary to exploit the generalization capabilities of non-linear function approximators, such as arti cial neural networks. This dissertation focuses on practical methodologies for solving reinforcement learning problems with large state and/or action spaces. In particular, the work addresses scenarios in which an agent does not have full knowledge of its state, but rather receives partial information about its environment via sensory-based observations. In order to address such intricate problems, novel solutions for both tabular and function-approximation based RL frameworks are proposed. A resource-e¢ cient recurrent neural network algorithm is presented, which exploits adaptive step-size techniques to improve learning characteristics. Moreover, a consolidated actor-critic network is introduced, which omits the modeling redundancy found in typical actor-critic systems. Pivotal concerns are the scalability and speed of the learning algorithms, for which we devise architectures that map e¢ ciently to hardware. As a result, a high degree of parallelism can be achieved. Simulation results that correspond to relevant testbench problems clearly demonstrate the solid performance attributes of the proposed solutions.
Simulation and Control of Induction Motor Operations By Using a Computer

211 Simulation and Control of Induction Motor Operations By Using a Computer Aws Mahmood Abdullah Baghdad University Abstract The principle operation of pulse width modulation (PWM) method is depending upon mathematical relationships between the voltage and the frequency to decrease the harmonics that take exists place due to the modulation process. This mathematic relationship is calculated in the main program where the storage in personal computer (PC). The control signal of PWM inverters is generated by comparing a reference sinusoidal wave and a triangular signal.
A TERMINAL OPERABILITY FORECASTING SYSTEM : ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS THAT WIND GENERATES OVER VESSEL PERFORMANCE

Terminals rely on optimization tools used on merchandise location, quay occupation or vehicle trajectories, in order to minimize the movements together with the time dedicated to every task. However, operations are developed into an environment that induces variability to the theoretical model used to schedule and control the operations. Given the complexity of the port operations, the artificial intelligence systems are positioned as a good choice to analyze such processes. In the near future terminals, where automation is set out as an extended reality, monitoring of operational variables carried out offers great possibilities to make a qualitative improvement in the operations management and planning models. In this work we propose a methodology to obtain operational parameter forecasts in container terminals. Moreover, a case study is developed, where forecasts of vessel performance are obtained. This way, the management strategies would be supported by an expert system, grounded on the historical data series of quay operations, and on the climatic conditions observed, as well as on the ordinary and extraordinary events that had happened in the past, from which the system is able to "learn". This work has been entirely been based on real data from a semi-automated container terminal from Spain.
Transmission Electron Microscope Study of Biotite Weathering

Transmission electron microscopy suggests that biotite transforms to vermiculite primarily by direct structural modification, involving the replacement of K+ by hydrated interlayer cations, and only minor reorganization of the 2:1 layer. A second relatively uncommon mechanism appears to involve redistribution of components from two biotite sheets to form a single vermiculite layer. Distortion of the surrounding structure initially inhibits growth of vermiculite in the surrounding biotite, and promotes the propagation of vermiculite layers in opposite directions. This phenomenon may contribute to the development of relatively regular, widely spaced interstratifications of biotite and vermiculite. Additional components and space are provided by the dissolution of biotite where access of solutions is greater. During weathering, biotite and vermiculite become increasingly replaced by kaolinite, which crystallizes epitactically onto existing layers, and goethite, which develops from a poorly crystalline iron oxyhydroxide precursor to form oriented laths. In areas parts of strongly weathered samples kaolinite and goethite appear to develop in proportions consistent with a reaction that conserves both Al and Fe.
Recent Advance in Computational Prototyping for Analysis of High-performance Analog/RF ICs

i-The design of high-performance analog/RF ICs is challenging and requires numerical efficient design tools. This paper reviews a number of recent research advances in modeling and analysis of high-performance analog/RF ICs. Structured analysis of EM-coupling, nonMonte-Carlo stochastic mismatch analysis, and nonlinear macromodelingfor the system-level synthesis are discussed. Index Terms Analog/RF ICs, EM-coupling, Mismatch, Nonlinear Macromodel
Biological activities of polyphenols from Polygonum lapathifolium (Actividades biológicas de polifenoles de Polygonum lapathifolium)

Polygonum lapathifolium is an invasive plant spread worldwide, which has been used in traditional medicine for its biological activities. We studied chemical profile of the aerial part using HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS. Eight flavonoids, two chalcones and gallic acid were isolated, identified nad tested for their activity in seven experimental models (for antioxidant, α/β-glucosidase inhibitory, antimicrobial, anticholineserase activity). Our results showed that P. lapathifolium is a valuable source of compounds with perspective biological activities.
Antioxidant activity in heterogeneous and homogeneous system of the resinous exudates from Heliotropium stenophylum and H. sinuatum and of 3-O-methylgalangin their main component

The antioxidant activity of resinous extracts obtained from H. stenophylum and H. sinuatum species, was evaluated through ORAC index (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) in water phase and in presence of Triton X-100 micelles, using as test molecules to pyrogallol red (PGR) and evaluating their reduction by the action of peroxyl radicals obtained from thermolysis of AAPH. The results show that these extracts protect to PGR of the action of the radicals. This protection is reduced drastically in the presence of Triton X-100 micelles. The same effect was observed with the main flavonoid of these extracts (3-O-methylgalangin). These results show the importance of the media of reaction of pure compounds and/or extracts at the time of to take into account their use as antioxidants.
Contributions of DNA methylation aberrancies in shaping the cancer epigenome

Genetic alterations, including DNA sequence and copy number alterations, have been characterized in human cancers for over several decades. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that in addition to these events, epigenetic changes are widespread in virtually every cancer type. The scientific literature is rich with reports of changes in DNA methylation, chromatin modifications and nucleosome occupancy, all of which contribute to the aberrant gene expression profiles described in human cancers. Whilst genetic and epigenetic alterations have been historically characterized on a candidate gene and cancer-type basis, the unprecedented acceleration in microarray and next-generation sequencing technologies used to profile large collections of primary specimens has provided a panoramic, genome-wide view of cancer genomes and epigenomes. For the first time, the relationships between individual alterations can be understood, with the ultimate goal of improving cancer detection, monitoring, surveillance and most importantly, treatment. A central aspect of these involves characterizing DNA methylation alterations in human cancers. DNA methylation aberrancies are present in every tumor type, serve as stable biomarkers of disease, are associated with patient clinical features, and are reversible through the application of DNA methylation inhibitors. DNA methylation inhibitors are currently used in treating patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and new inhibitors are currently in clinical trials for potential cancer treatment. This review highlights DNA methylation changes and their significance in human cancers from mechanistic, biomarker and treatment perspectives.
Grain size and mineralogical indicators of weathering in the Oberlaab loess-paleosol sequence, Upper Austria

Abstract. Untersuchungen des Gesamt- und Tonmineralbestandes sowie der Korngrose wurden zur Charakterisierung der Verwitterungsstadien in einer Loss-Palaoboden-Sequenz in Oberlaab (Oberosterreich) verwendet. Durch den aus der Korngrosenzusammensetzung berechneten Verwitterungsindex Kd konnen Bodenhorizonte eindeutig identifiziert werden. Der Gesamtmineralbestand zeigt, dass die Verwitterungsintensitat mit der Tiefe zunimmt. Das schwachste Verwitterungsstadium tritt in Oberlaab nicht auf, da alle Proben karbonatfrei sind. Verwitterungsstadium 2 kommt in den oberen Bodenhorizonten vor und ist durch das Fehlen von primarem Chlorit in der Tonfraktion gekennzeichnet. Die untersten Horizonte entsprechen mit der Neubildung von Vermikuliten aus Illit Verwitterungsstadium 3. Die intensivsten Verwitterungsstadien 4 und 5 treten in diesem Profil nicht auf. In den Pedokomplexen wurden zwei verschiedene Mixed-layer-Minerale gefunden. Ein Illit-Chlorit-Mixed layer kommt in der Parabraunerde des Eem-Interglazials vor, ein Illit-Vermikulit-Mixed layer ist im gesamten Profil nachweisbar. Die aus der Zusammensetzung der Tonfraktion ermittelten Verwitterungsstadien sind etwas niedriger als die aus dem Gesamtmineralbestand, erreichen aber im untersten Teil des Profils ebenfalls Stufe 3.
Testing a Model of Intercultural Willingness to Communicate based on Ethnocentrism, Ambiguity Tolerance and Sensation Seeking: The Role of Learning English in Iran

Abstract The present study aimed at testing a model of intercultural willingness to communicate based on ethnocentrism, ambiguity tolerance and sensation seeking between English and non-English major university students in Iran. A significant difference was found between the two groups on ethnocentrism and the results showed that the model fit the data adequately. Ethnocentrism was the strongest predictor of intercultural willingness to communicate for both groups. Sensation seeking was a significant predictor of intercultural willingness to communicate only for the non-English major university students. Moreover, sensation seeking and ambiguity tolerance were significant predictors of ethnocentrism.
MAGNETOTELLURIC INVESTIGATIONS IN THE WAY UMPU GEOTHERMAL PROSPECT AREA, LAMPUNG PROVINCE, INDONESIA

The Geological Research Center’s (GRC) or Pusat Sumber Daya Geologi (PSDG) previous research estimated that the Way Umpu 1 Hot Springs in the Way Umpu geothermal prospect area reflects a reservoir temperature of 160°C–195°C. From geological observations, the main fault structure in that area is the Way Umpu Fault, which has a strike direction of NE–SW and the area is dominated by volcanic rocks. Many joints are also found along the fault line. The Way Umpu-1 Hot Springs is controlled by these geologic structures. The previous research and field observations lead us to carry out continuing research in this area, which is aimed at determining its resistivity structure to a depth of 4 km. For this purpose, we carried out field measurements using Audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) and Magnetotelluric (MT) methods. The work presented in this paper is the result of 1-D and 2-D inversion modeling from 8 MT soundings. We compared inversion models using the 1-D Bostick transformation scheme, 1-D Occam model, and 2-D Nonlinear Conjugate Gradient (NLCG) algorithms. The study results reveal the existence of a strike as indicated from the geological data and a low resistivity zone at a shallow surface to a depth of 2 km that is most probably associated with partial melting and intrusion at a greater depth.
TESIS DOCTORAL: “RESTORATION OF NNOSμ FUNCTION IN THE MDX MOUSE MODEL OF DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY”

Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase (nNOS) is a Ca 2+ /calmodulin-regulated enzyme that synthesizes nitric oxide (NO) from L-arginine. There are at least four splice variants of nNOS. nNOSμ is an alternatively spliced isoform that has a 34 amino acid insert and is specifically expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscles. In normal muscle, nNOSμ localizes mainly to the cytosolic side of the sarcolemma, by binding the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex (DGC) member α-syntrophin. The sarcolemmal localization is critical for nNOSμ to oppose sympathetic vasoconstriction and maintain appropriate blood supply to active muscles during exercise. NO also regulates cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscle contractile function and modulates the immune response in muscle. nNOSμ expression, sarcolemmal localization and/or signaling are impaired in many neuromuscular diseases including Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). DMD is a devastating, X-linked disorder that begins in the toddler years with difficulty with running and progresses to loss of ambulation in the early teens followed by loss of arm, trunk, respiratory and cardiac muscle function. Death is common in early adulthood. DMD, and the milder allelic disorder, Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), are due to mutations in the gene for dystrophin. In these and other muscular dystrophies, there is an urgent, critical need for efficacious and safe treatments that slow disease progression. Such therapies will reduce disease burden, improve quality of life and buy time until treatments that address the primary gene defect are fully developed, affordable, and widely available. Exogenous nNOS can reduce disease severity. Cytoplasmic expression of a rat brain nNOSα transgene (the nNOS isoform mainly expressed in brain) reduced muscle damage and
English Language Learners’ Strategy Use and Self-Efficacy Beliefs in English Language Learning

This study examined self-efficacy and language strategy use of college-level English Language Learners (ELLs) at a southeastern university in the United States. It analyzed the relationship between self-efficacy and strategy use. An English Language Learning Survey was used to collect data from 198 college-level ELLs. Participants had positive self-efficacy toward their English learning and the most often used strategies were compensation, social and metacognitive strategies. Self-efficacy was positively correlated with cognitive, compensation, memory, metacognitive, and social strategy. The study suggested that teachers provide scaffolding for ELLs through strategy instruction. Teachers can teach self-regulated learning strategies and focus on ELLs’ improvement and mastery of content to enhance their self-efficacy, language proficiency and learning autonomy required for their academic courses learning.
Curve and Surface Smoothing Using a Modified Cahn-Hilliard Equation

We present a new method using the modified Cahn-Hilliard (CH) equation for smoothing piecewise linear shapes of two- and three-dimensional objects. The CH equation has good smoothing dynamics and it is coupled with a fidelity term which keeps the original given data; that is, it does not produce significant shrinkage. The modified CH equation is discretized using a linearly stable splitting scheme in time and the resulting scheme is solved by using a Fourier spectral method. We present computational results for both curve and surface smoothing problems. The computational results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is fast and efficient.
ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CONSTITUENTS FROM ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF SCINDAPSUS OFFICINALIS (ROXB.) SCHOTT. FRUITS

Nature has provided abundant plant wealth for living creatures which possess medicinal virtues. The essential value of a number of plants has long been published and the large numbers of them remain unexplored so far. In the present study, 50% ethanolic extract of fruits of plant Scindapsus officinalis (Roxb.) Schott. (Family Araceae), was purified by column chromatography which yielded three brownish sticky residues viz. compound A, B and C. Extracted compounds were further subjected to spectral analysis i.e. IR, UV, 1D NMR (1H NMR and 13C NMR) and Mass spectroscopy for structure elucidation and characterization. The findings revealed that the compound A, B and C are piperine, mixture of glycerin and ascorbic acid, and ascorbic acid respectively. Isolation of glycerol and ascorbic acid is a new finding in the present study.
Intelligent Techniques for Efficient Generation of Ground Cover Maps

In this work, a new methodology based on artificial neural networks (ANN) and indexing techniques is used with the aim to improve memory requirements for storing multisource or multispectral remote sensing (MRS) data and at the same time increase classification speed. This methodology features: a) data quantization using a self-organizing map, b) training set reduction to speed up ANN training, c) fast clustering of prototypes, and d) fast indexed classification. Results obtained for both supervised and unsupervised classification to ground-cover categories using, at no loss of generality, a Landsat TM image, show savings in time and memory without a significant compromise of classification performance.
MODELING OF FLUID FLOW IN BRAIN TUMOR

We consider the problem of fluid flow in a brain tumor. We develop a mathematical model for the one-dimensional fluid flow in a spherical tumor where the spatial variations of the interstitial velocity, interstitial pressure and the drug concentration within the tumor are only with respect to the radial distance from the center of the tumor. The interstitial velocity in the radial direction and the interstitial pressure are determined analytically, while the radial variations of two investigated drug concentrations were determined numerically. We calculated these quantities in the tumor, in a corresponding normal tissue and for the concentrations also in the cavity that can exist after the tumor is removed. We determine, in particular, the way the interstitial pressure and velocity vary, which agrees with the experiments, as well as the way one drug concentration changes in the presence or absence of a second drug concentration within the tumor. We find that the amount of drug delivery in the tumor can be enhanced in the presence of another drug in the tumor, while the ratio of the amount of one drug in the tumor to its amount in the normal tissue can be reduced in the presence of the second drug in the tumor and the tissue.