Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Teachers' Perspective on the Importance of Parents' Roles in Students' Academic Achievement Using School and Family Partnership Model (Epstein): A Qualitative Study

This study aims to identify the importance of parental involvement in student academic achievement in Primary School in Selangor through school, family and community partnership from teacher's perspective. It focused on the involvement of parents based on six main aspects of Epstein's model i.e. parenting, communication, home-based learning, decision-making, community collaboration and volunteerism. These aspects enable parents' involvement and collaboration with schools and outside communities in order to improve students' academic achievement. This study used a qualitative method, where questionnaire and respondent interviews were used as the research instrument. Snowball sampling was used and a total of four primary school headmasters from high- and low-performing schools were interviewed using a naturalistic investigation technique with an open-ended semi-structured questionnaire containing 10 items in two domains. The purpose of this study was to obtain the information needed to understand parents' perceptions of the importance of their involvement in improving student academic achievement and the collaboration required among schools, families and the community. The data obtained was analyzed using Thematic analysis. The findings showed that, there was a significant positive relationship between parents' involvement and the improvement of academic achievement of the students, namely in the aspects of home teaching, parenting, decision-making and volunteerism. As a conclusion, some new suggestions were made to enhance the involvement of parents in the academic achievement of the Tamil school students.
ABUNDANCE OF WINTER TICKS (DERMACENTOR ALBIPICTUS) IN TWO REGENERATING FOREST HABITATS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, USA

Recent decline in New Hampshire’s moose ( Alces alces ) population is attributed to sustained parasitism by winter ticks ( Dermacentor albipictus ) causing high calf mortality and reduced productivity. Location of larval winter ticks that infest moose is dictated by where adult female ticks drop from moose in April when moose preferentially forage in early regenerating forest in the northeastern United States. The primary objectives of this study were to: 1) measure and compare larval abundance in 2 types of regenerating forest (clear-cuts and partial harvest cuts), 2) measure and compare larval abundance on 2 transect types (random and high-use) within clear-cuts and partial harvests, and 3) identify the date and environmental characteristics associated with termination of larval questing. Larvae were collected on 50.5% of 589 transects; 57.5% of transects in clear-cuts and 44.3% in partial cuts. The average abundance ranged from 0.11–0.36 ticks/m 2 with abundance highest (P < 0.05) in partial cuts and on high-use transects in both cut types over a 9-week period; abundance was ~2 × higher during the principal 6-week questing period prior to the first snowfall. Abundance (collection rate) was stable until the onset of < 0°C and initial snow cover (~15 cm) in late October, after which collection rose temporarily on high-use transects in partial harvests during a brief warm-up. The higher abundance of winter ticks on high-use transects indicates that random sampling underestimates tick abundance and relative risk of infestation of moose. Calculating an annual index of infestation of winter ticks on moose is theoretically possible by integrating 3 factors: the infestation of harvested moose in October, the length of the questing period, and assuming a stable collection rate during the questing period.
LG ] 6 M ar 2 01 5 Deep Clustered Convolutional Kernels

Deep neural networks have recently achieved state of the art performance thanks to new training algorithms for rapid parameter estimation and new regularization methods to reduce overfitting. However, in practice the network architecture has to be manually set by domain experts, generally by a costly trial and error procedure, which often accounts for a large portion of the final system performance. We view this as a limitation and propose a novel training algorithm that automatically optimizes network architecture, by progressively increasing model complexity and then eliminating model redundancy by selectively removing parameters at training time. For convolutional neural networks, our method relies on iterative split/merge clustering of convolutional kernels interleaved by stochastic gradient descent. We present a training algorithm and experimental results on three different vision tasks, showing improved performance compared to similarly sized hand-crafted architectures.
Scale-Invariant Hidden Local Symmetry, Topology Change and Dense Baryonic Matter II

Exploiting certain robust topological inputs from the skyrmion description of compressed baryonic matter with a scale-chiral symmetric Lagrangian, we predict the equation of state that is consistent with the properties of nuclear matter at the equilibrium density, supports the maximum mass of massive compact star $\sim 2 M_\odot$ and surprisingly gives the sound velocity close to the "conformal velocity" $1/\sqrt{3}$ at densities $\gtrsim 3 n_0$. At the core of this result is the observation that parity-doubling occurs in the nucleon structure as density goes above $\sim 2n_0$ with a chiral-singlet mass $m_0 \sim (0.6-0.9) m_N$, hinting at a possible up-to-date unsuspected source of proton mass and an emergence at high density of scale symmetry and flavor local symmetry, both hidden in the QCD vacuum.
Characterization of poroelastic targets for P- and S-waves using linear and non-linear AVO methods

AVO is one aspect of seismic analysis that is largely used in industry. In this report, an examination of amplitude modelling, as typically viewed from a surface seismic acquisition experiment, is performed. The basis of this work is driven primarily by the research of Russell, Gray, and Hampson and their f m r equation which is a linear poroelastic AVO formulation that quantifies fluid in the target medium. We would like to extend that formulation by showing the method in which non-linear poroelastic AVO approximations are derived in terms of models using two different sets of model parameters. The first that will be shown is in terms of perturbation and the other is reflectivity. Their analytical expressions will be shown for 1st order (linear), 2nd order (non-linear), and 3rd order (nonlinear). Once we have shown all six poroelastic approximations, we will display the results against a synthetic model to view the variations that occur between each approximation. We will also show the stability that each approximation holds in an exercise that tests various modelling parameters.
Prevalence and Determinants for Hypertension among Rural Women of Reproductive Age in Indonesia

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and determinants of hypertension in rural women of reproductive age. The cross-sectional study was conducted in Cianjur district on August 2019. It involved 193 married rural women aged 20–49 years old. Independent variables investigated were socio-economic characteristics, anthropometry, fat distribution and nutrient intake. The prevalence of hypertension in the study population using the new American Guideline (ACC/AHA) was 58% in contrast to 23.8% using the European (ESC/ESH) cut offs. Socioeconomic characteristics and nutrient intake showed no significant association with hypertension (p>0.05) while, Body Mass Index (BMI) (p>0.012), Visceral Fat (VF) (p>0.013) and Waist Circumference (WC) (p>0.010) were significantly associated with hypertension. Hence, result of binary logistic regression showed waist circumference is the strongest factor to determine hypertension in our study (OR=2.2; 95% CI: 1.20–4.01). Overall, the use of the American guideline increases the sensitivity of hypertension screening. The use of simple anthropometry measurement of WC combined with BMI can be applied for risk screening of hypertension in the primary health care setting including in the integrated community health post to improve preventive measure. Due to several limitations in the current study, future study should consider larger sample size and addresses history of hormonal contraceptive use as well as physical activity
Design, 3D printing and validation of a novel low-cost high-capacity sitting-drop bridge for protein crystallization

Sitting-drop protein crystallization is not used as commonly as the hanging-drop method for crystal optimization owing to the limitations of commercially available sitting-drop bridges, particularly when they are used in conjunction with 24-well crystallization plates. The commercially available sitting-drop bridge, containing space for only a single drop, restricts their wider use. Proteins that preferentially crystallize under sitting-drop conditions therefore require more work, time and resources for their optimization. In response to these limitations, and using 3D printing, a new sitting-drop bridge has been designed and developed, where five crystallization drops can be placed simultaneously in each well of a 24-well crystallization plate. This significantly simplifies the process and increases the potential of sitting drops in crystal optimization, reducing costs and hence overcoming the limitations of current approaches.
Modelling New Zealand inflation in a Phillips curve

This article presents some simple estimates of Phillips curves for New Zealand inflation and outlines a recent reorganisation of the inflation process in the Reserve Bank's Forecasting and Policy System (FPS). While modern economic theory suggests the traditional Phillips curve should be used only with care, empirical estimates for New Zealand suggest it continues to have some value. We find that estimates of the impact of resource pressure (the "output gap") on inflation are easiest to obtain from an equation on the non-tradables component of CPI inflation, and show that this relationship can be improved statistically by introducing a (fairly smooth) measure of inflation expectations on the right hand side. We present some evidence that the relationship between resource pressures and non-tradables inflation is stronger in New Zealand than some comparable countries, and further evidence that this could be related to the cyclicality of housing construction costs in New Zealand. In the latest version of the Reserve Bank's macro-model, FPS, the inflation process has been written with a tradables/non-tradables split and an explicit empirical measure of inflation expectations. This does not greatly change model properties but allows the model's congruence with the data to be assessed more directly.
Diagnosis with Feature Selection Methods and Artificial Neural Network

Dermatology or skin disease is one of the popular diseases among other diseases these days. The features similarities between different types of skin diseases make diagnosis of skin diseases very complex. A patient needs dermatologist that has a sound and vast good experience in skin diseases in order to give precise results at the right time. This paper elaborates a prototype with back propagation neural network (BPNN) to assist the dermatologist. This prototype improves expert diagnosis method in term of time efficiency and diagnosis accuracy. The use of two feature selection methods namely Correlation Feature Selection (CFS) and Fast Correlation-based Filter (FCBF) help by providing a smaller number of features with greater accuracy and faster response time. The adjustment of parameter in BPNN gives good performance. The findings show that FCBF method offers the shortest elapsed time and highest result compared to CFS method and the full features with an accuracy of 91.2%.
Hydrodynamic effects in the symmetron and f(R)-gravity models

In this paper we present the first results from implementing two scalar-tensor modified gravity theories, the symmetron and the Hu-Sawicki $f(R)$-gravity model, into a hydrodynamic N-body code with dark matter particles and a baryonic ideal gas. The study is a continuation of previous work where the symmetron and $f(R)$ have been successfully implemented in the RAMSES code, but for dark matter only. By running simulations, we show that the deviation from $\Lambda$CDM in these models for the gas density profiles are significantly lower than the dark matter equivalents. When it comes to the matter power-spectrum we find that hydrodynamic simulations agree very well with dark matter only simulations as long as we consider scales larger than $k\sim 0.5$ h/Mpc. In general the effects of modified gravity on the baryonic gas is found to not always mirror the effects it has on the dark matter. The largest signature is found when considering temperature profiles. We find that the gas temperatures in the modified gravity model studied here show deviations, when compared to $\Lambda$CDM, that can be a factor of a few larger than the deviations found in density profiles and power spectra.
Photo-Induced Force Microscopy by Using Quartz Tuning-Fork Sensor

We present the photo-induced force microscopy (PiFM) studies of various nano-materials by implementing a quartz tuning fork (QTF), a self-sensing sensor that does not require complex optics to detect the motion of a force probe and thus helps to compactly configure the nanoscale optical mapping tool. The bimodal atomic force microscopy technique combined with a sideband coupling scheme is exploited for the high-sensitivity imaging of the QTF-PiFM. We measured the photo-induced force images of nano-clusters of Silicon 2,3-naphthalocyanine bis dye and thin graphene film and found that the QTF-PiFM is capable of high-spatial-resolution nano-optical imaging with a good signal-to-noise ratio. Applying the QTF-PiFM to various experimental conditions will open new opportunities for the spectroscopic visualization and substructure characterization of a vast variety of nano-materials from semiconducting devices to polymer thin films to sensitive measurements of single molecules.
Building Smarter Cities Through Social Entrepreneurship

The objective of the present study is to examine the extent to which social ventures are able to increase the “smartness” of cities. To achieve this goal, we adopt a qualitative approach using a case study method to obtain valuable insights about different characteristics and strategies of Cais (a non-profit association dedicated to helping disadvantaged people in urban areas). Through our analysis of Cais’s activities, we assess whether its social interventions match the dimensions proposed by Giffinger et al. (2007) to rank smart cities’ performance; specifically, it has smart: (i) economy, (ii) people, (iii) governance, (iv) mobility, (v) environment, and (vi) living. The research shows that the action pursued comprises elements from all the abovementioned dimensions. Further, the analysis reveals that Cais reinforces the smartness of the city in which it acts (in terms of attributes such as living, economy, people, and environment).
ZINC STATUS OF YEMENI PREGNANT WOMEN AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE OUTCOME OF PREGNANCY

Background: Micronutrients are essential for health.Pregnancy is associated with increased demand for all micronutrients. Altered plasma levels of zinc during pregnancy are known to have profound effects on pregnant women and their newborns. The objective of the study is to assess serum zinc status of Yemeni pregnant women and their newborns and to examine its relations. Methods:This is a descriptive cross sectional study that was carried at Al-Sabeen maternal referral hospital in Sana'a. It included 184 subjects, 92 Yemeni pregnant women coming for delivery and their newborns.A questionnaire was used to collect personal, socioeconomic data and dietetic history. Blood samples from mothers and umbilical cord were analyzed for serum zinc. Results: Most of the mothers (91.3%) were housewives; 34.78% of them were illiterate. Carbohydrates were the predominant nutrients in the daily meals representing the main source of energy requirement. Proteins were the least abundant. Only 36.96%of mothers used vitamins and mineral supplements. The mean serum zinc for the mothers was 68.57 ± 21.81 μg/dL, while that of their newborns was 65.05 ± 20.04 μg/dL. The mean of the newborns' weight was 2.8 ±0.47 kg. It was significantly related to their mothers' serum zinc levels. Conclusions: Zinc status of newborns was found to be significantly related their mothers'. Serum zinc was low in about 44% of newborns indicating inadequacy of zinc transfer during pregnancy to the rapidly growing fetus. Supplementation, nutritional education and counseling may improve dietary intake and habits which is crucial for maternal and newborn health.
Glaucoma Longitudinal Analysis of Progression in Glaucoma Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

Citation: Wessel JM, Horn FK, Tornow RP, et al. Longitudinal analysis of progression in glaucoma using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2013;54:3613–3620. DOI:10.1167/ iovs.12-9786 PURPOSE. To compare the longitudinal loss of RNFL thickness measurements by SD-OCT in healthy individuals and glaucoma patients with or without progression concerning optic disc morphology.
Practice of Epidemiology Competing Risk Regression Models for Epidemiologic Data

Competing events can preclude the event of interest from occurring in epidemiologic data and can be analyzed by using extensions of survival analysis methods. In this paper, the authors outline 3 regression approaches for estimating 2 key quantities in competing risks analysis: the cause-specific relative hazard (csRH) and the subdistribution relative hazard (sdRH). They compare and contrast the structure of the risk sets and the interpretation of parameters obtained with these methods. They also demonstrate the use of these methods with data from the Women’s Interagency HIV Study established in 1993, treating time to initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy or to clinical disease progression as competing events. In our example, women with an injection drug use history were less likely than those without a history of injection drug use to initiate therapy prior to progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or death by both measures of association (csRH 1⁄4 0.67, 95% confidence interval: 0.57, 0.80 and sdRH 1⁄4 0.60, 95% confidence interval: 0.50, 0.71). Moreover, the relative hazards for disease progression prior to treatment were elevated (csRH 1⁄4 1.71, 95% confidence interval: 1.37, 2.13 and sdRH 1⁄4 2.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.62, 2.51). Methods for competing risks should be used by epidemiologists, with the choice of method guided by the scientific question.
ARGAMASSAS DE TERRA VERSUS CONVENCIONAIS: AVALIAÇÃO DO DESEMPENHO AMBIENTAL CONSIDERANDO O CICLO DE VIDA

Foram avaliados os potenciais impactos ambientais associados a diferentes argamassas de terra sem e com estabilizantes quimicos (cal hidratada e cimento Portland) e tais impactos foram comparados com aqueles apresentados pelas argamassas convencionais de cimento, cal e areia. Foi utilizada a metodologia de Avaliacao do Ciclo de Vida (ACV), com o escopo do berco ao tumulo. Foram avaliadas quatro categorias de dano: Mudancas Climaticas, Saude Humana, Qualidade dos Ecossistemas e Deplecao de Recursos foram avaliadas. Os ligantes quimicos constituiram os insumos mais impactantes para a producao de argamassas de terra estabilizada, quando a enfase foi o desempenho ambiental. A vida util do revestimento e o transporte da terra influenciaram significativamente as categorias de Saude Humana e Qualidade do Ecossistema. Os revestimentos de terra, mesmo quando estabilizados, podem ter ganhos ambientais de ate 80% para a categoria de Mudancas Climaticas, caso tenham a mesma vida util que revestimentos convencionais. Portanto, esses revestimentos baseados em terra crua podem constituir uma alternativa com grande potencial ambiental para mitigacao dos impactos associados aos revestimentos comumente aplicados nas edificacoes. Ressalta-se, entretanto, a necessidade de serem adequadamente especificados na etapa de projeto, assim como de utilizarem, sempre que possivel, a terra disponivel localmente.
Influence of Chemical and Physical Variables on 87Sr/86Sr Isotope Ratios Determination for Geographical Traceability Studies in the Oenological Food Chain

This study summarizes the results obtained from a systematic and long-term project aimed at the development of tools to assess the provenance of food in the oenological sector. 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios were measured on a representative set of soils, branches, and wines sampled from the Chianti Classico wine production area. In particular, owing to the high spatial resolution of the 87Sr/86Sr ratio in the topsoil, the effect of two mill techniques for soil pretreatment was investigated to verify the influence of the particle dimension on the measured isotopic ratios. Samples with particle sizes ranging from 250 to less than 50 µm were investigated, and the extraction was performed by means of the DIN 19730 procedure. For each sample, the Sr isotope ratio was determined as well. The obtained results showed that the 87Sr/86Sr ratio is not influenced by soil particle size and may represent an effective tool as a geographic provenance indicator for the investigated product.
Three-Jet Powder Flow and Laser–Powder Interaction in Laser Melting Deposition: Modelling Versus Experimental Correlations

Powder flow and temperature distribution are recognized as essential factors in the laser melting deposition (LMD) process, which affect not only the layer formation but also its characteristics. In this study, two mathematical models were developed. Initially, the three-jet powder flow in the Gaussian shape was simulated for the LMD process. Next, the Gaussian powder flow was coaxially added along with the moving laser beam to investigate the effect of powder flow on temperature distribution at the substrate. The powder particles’ inflight and within melt-pool heating times were controlled to avoid vapors or plasma formation due to excessive heat. Computations were carried out via MATLAB software. A high-speed imaging camera was used to monitor the powder stream distribution, experimentally, while temperature distribution results were compared with finite element simulations and experimental analyses. A close correlation was observed among analytical computation, numerical simulations, and experimental results. An investigation was conducted to investigate the effect of the focal point position on powder stream distribution. It was found that the focal point position plays a key role in determining the shape of the powder stream, such that an increment in the distance from the focus point will gradually transform the powder stream from the Gaussian to Transition, and from the Transition to Annular streams. By raising the powder flow rate, the attenuation ratio prevails in the LMD process, hence, decreasing the laser energy density arriving at the substrate. The computations indicate that, if the particle’s heating temperature surpasses the boiling point, a strong possibility exists for vapors and plasma formation. Consequently, an excessive amount of laser energy is absorbed by the produced vapors and plasma, thus impeding the deposition process.
Time variable funnel flows

Abstract Magnetospheric accretion models are the current consensus to explain the main observed characteristics of classical T Tauri stars. In recent years the concept of a static magnetosphere has been challenged by synoptic studies of classical T Tauri stars that show strong evidence for the accretion process to be dynamic on several timescales and governed by changes in the magnetic field configuration. At the same time numerical simulation results predict evolving funnel flows due to the interaction between the stellar magnetosphere and the inner disk region. In this contribution we will focus on the main recent observational evidences for time variable funnel flows and compare them with model predictions.