Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
From Individual to Systemic Advocacy: Parents as Change Agents

ABSTRACT Parent advocacy has led to improved educational access and outcomes for students with disabilities. Extant research indicates that parents are more likely to participate in individual advocacy than systemic advocacy. Due to the preponderance of individual advocacy, limited research has focused on systemic advocacy. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore individual and systemic advocacy among parents of children with disabilities. Prior to attending a training on civic engagement, 127 parents from four states participated in English- or Spanish-speaking focus groups. Results indicated participants more frequently engaged in individual advocacy than systemic advocacy and utilized a greater variety of individual advocacy strategies. Additionally, parent advocacy can be developmental, moving from individual to systemic efforts. Participants also identified barriers and facilitators impacting their systemic and individual advocacy. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Asymptotics of descent functions.

In 1916, MacMahon showed that permutations in $S_n$ with a fixed descent set $I$ are enumerated by a polynomial $d_I(n)$. Diaz-Lopez, Harris, Insko, Omar, and Sagan recently revived interest in this descent polynomial, and suggested the direction of studying such enumerative questions for other consecutive patterns (descents being the consecutive pattern $21$). Zhu studied this question for the consecutive pattern $321$. We continue this line of work by studying the case of any consecutive pattern of the form $k,k-1,\ldots,1$, which we call a $k$-descent. In this paper, we reduce the problem of determining the asymptotic number of permutations with a certain $k$-descent set to computing an explicit integral. We also prove an equidistribution theorem, showing that any two sparse $k$-descent sets are equally likely. Counting the number of $k$-descent-avoiding permutations while conditioning on the length $n$ and first element $m$ simultaneously, one obtains a number triangle $f_k(m,n)$ with some useful properties. For $k=3$, the $m=1$ and $m=n$ diagonals are OEIS sequences A049774 and A080635. We prove a $k$th difference recurrence relation for entries of this number triangle. This also leads to an $O(n^2)$ algorithm for computing $k$-descent functions. Along the way to these results, we prove an explicit formula for the distribution of first elements of $k$-descent-avoiding permutations, as well as for the joint distribution of first and last elements. We also develop an understanding of discrete order statistics. In our approach, we combine algebraic, analytic, and probabilistic tools. A number of open problems are stated at the end.
Comparative study on functionalized SBA-15 and SBA-16 nanostructured materials used for immobilization of D-amino acid oxidase

SBA-15 and SBA-16 nanostucrured materials were synthesized via hydrothermal treatment and were functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES). The obtained samples were characterized by different techniques such as XRD, BET, IR and TEM. After functionalization, it showed that these nanostrucrured materials were still maintained the hexagonal pore structure of the parent SBA-15 and cubic cage structure of the parent SBA-16. The non-functionalized pure silica SBA-15 and SBA-16 as well as functionalized SBA-15 and SBA-16 materials were used to immobilize DAAO, which is industrially important enzyme for the production of glutaryl 7-amino cephalosporanic acid (GL-7-ACA) from cephalosporin C (CPC). The obtained results revealed that functionalized SBA- 15 and SBA-16 materials exhibited higher enzymatic activity and stability than those of non-functionalized ones. This might be due to the enhancing of surface hydrophobicity upon functionalization. The surface functionalization of the nanostructured silicas with organic groups can enhance the interaction between enzyme and the supports and consequently increasing the operational stability of the immobilized enzyme. The loading of enzyme on SBA-15 materials was higher than that on SBA-16 samples (both functionalized and non-functionalized types). This might be explained by the difference in pore size and type (cylindrical for SBA-15 and bottle-neck for SBA-16) as well as structure shape (hexagonal for SBA-15 and cubic cage for SBA-16) of both mesoporous materials. Additionally, nature of functionalized groups significantly affected the enzymatic activity. Effects on surface binding force, nature of functional groups, pore size of supports were investigated and discussed.
The Influence of Modified Open-Plan Preschool Spaces on Cognitive School Readiness in Malaysia

Modified open-planning to define children’s spaces is important in preschool design. Cognitive school readiness (SR) is an objective of Malaysian preschools. This study investigates the correlation between modified open-plan spaces and cognitive SR in Malaysian preschools. A prospective cohort study involving 378 children at 18 Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) preschools was conducted. Compared to other preschool physical aspects (size, scale, circulation, facilities, indoor environment quality, safety, home bases, activity areas, and play yards), the quality of modified open-plan spaces showed the strongest correlation with children’s cognitive SR (Pearson’s r=0.658, p=0.000). Findings are hoped to promote better preschool designs. Keywords: Modified open-plan, preschool design, children education, school readiness eISSN: 2398-4287© 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5i15. 2374.
A Review on Scaling Mobile Sensing Platforms for Human Activity Recognition: Challenges and Recommendations for Future Research

Mobile sensing has been gaining ground due to the increasing capabilities of mobile and personal devices that are carried around by citizens, giving access to a large variety of data and services based on the way humans interact. Mobile sensing brings several advantages in terms of the richness of available data, particularly for human activity recognition. Nevertheless, the infrastructure required to support large-scale mobile sensing requires an interoperable design, which is still hard to achieve today. This review paper contributes to raising awareness of challenges faced today by mobile sensing platforms that perform learning and behavior inference with respect to human routines: how current solutions perform activity recognition, which classification models they consider, and which types of behavior inferences can be seamlessly provided. The paper provides a set of guidelines that contribute to a better functional design of mobile sensing infrastructures, keeping scalability as well as interoperability in mind.
Environmental monitoring and thermal performance of New Zealand rental housing: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT This paper presents an exploratory analysis undertaken to investigate the thermal performance of a typical rental property in New Zealand. A literature review of the conditions of New Zealand housing and thermal performance studies is followed by a case study in a rental property in Auckland, New Zealand for one month of a typical winter season. Over this period, both indoor and outdoor climate variables were measured, including humidity and temperature. These measurements were supplemented by a site inspection, a questionnaire completed by the housing occupants, and a recording of their activities. The study indicated that the thermal performance of the dwelling was poor, such that the occupants could be expected to be at risk of adverse health outcomes as a result. Correlational analysis carried out on the outdoor and indoor sensor data, as well as thermal performance analysis, highlight the extent of the cold and dampness of the dwelling due to a lack of heating appliances, inadequate insulation and occupants’ energy consumption behaviours with respect to heating. This study suggests a promising low-cost approach for public/state housing agencies to collect information on housing conditions and for monitoring household thermal performance and the risk of inadequate conditions on occupants.
Relationship between Fe2+ Ca2+ ions and cyclodextrin in olive trees infected with sooty mold

In this work, Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) was used to observe the peak areas of chemical elements present in healthy and infected samples and a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to study the damage caused by sooty mold on olive tree leaves from the Mediterranean. Leaves infected with sooty mold presented a high concentration of Fe2+ and a low concentration of Ca2+. Our results show that the infected leaves cause a metabolic imbalance in the plants due to an anomalous behavior of macronutrients and micronutrients. Infected leaves start to develop a thin layer of glucose (Cyclodextrin) on their surface. Cyclodextrin (CD) molecules are oligosaccharides consisting of α–D-glucopyranose units linked to glucosides. The most common is β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), which has seven units of α–D-glucopyranose. There are different CDs which are widely used as molecular reactors. In this work, some connections between CD molecules conformations that were obtained in order to observe the relationship of Fe2+ and Ca2+ in the olive tree infected with sooty mold were studied. The results are discussed in terms of number of ions found inside and outside the cavity formed by the CD molecules.
Inertial particle separation in helical channels: A calibrated numerical analysis

Inertial microfluidics has been used in recent years to separate particles by size, with most efforts focusing on spiral channels with rectangular cross sections. Typically, particles of different sizes have been separated by ensuring that they occupy different equilibrium positions near the inner wall. Trapezoidal cross sections have been shown to improve separation efficiency by entraining one size of particles in Dean vortices near the outer wall and inertially focusing larger particles near the inner wall. Recently, this principle was applied to a helical channel to develop a small-footprint microfluidic device for size-based particle separation and sorting. Despite the promise of these helical devices, the effects of channel geometry and other process parameters on separation efficiency remain unexplored. In this paper, a simplified numerical model was used to estimate the effect of various geometric parameters such as channel pitch, diameter, taper angle, depth, and width on the propensity for particle separation. This study can be used to aid in the design of microfluidic devices for optimal size-based inertial particle separation.
An RF Approach to Modelling Gallium Nitride Power Devices Using Parasitic Extraction

This paper begins with a comprehensive review into the existing GaN device models. Secondly, it identifies the need for a more accurate GaN switching model. A simple practical process based on radio frequency techniques using Vector Network Analyser is introduced in this paper as an original contribution. It was applied to extract the impedances of the GaN device to develop an efficient behavioural model. The switching behaviour of the model was validated using both simulation and real time double pulse test experiments at 500 V, 15 A conditions. The proposed model is much easier for power designers to handle, without the need for knowledge about the physics or geometry of the device. The proposed model for Transphorm GaN HEMT was found to be 95.2% more accurate when compared to the existing LT-Spice manufacturer model. This work additionally highlights the need to adopt established RF techniques into power electronics to reduce the learning curve while dealing with these novel high-speed switching devices.
Data privacy and political distrust: corporate ‘pro liars,’ ‘gridlocked Congress,’ and the Twitter issue public around the US privacy legislation

ABSTRACT This study explores how emerging US data privacy regulations are discussed at state and federal levels, examining Twitter discourse around Senate public hearings on data privacy and public forums on the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The recent legal steps reflect growing public outcry over corporate data misuses and lack of appropriate legislation. The findings suggest that the issue public of Twitter users in this study largely considered corporations and the government as untrustworthy actors for privacy legislation. The political distrust was raising doubts over regulatory capture and if a future US federal privacy law will be weaker than state laws (e.g., CCPA) while overriding them. The study explores implications of the findings on the current deadlock over the state preemption clause in developing a comprehensive federal privacy law. I argue that the emerging regulatory efforts on data privacy may not be effective unless the public trust in institutions is regained in the US and that the continuing absence of a federal law amid the political distrust can leave people with limited individual privacy strategies as a result.
Classification of residential buildings into spatial patterns of urban growth: A morpho-structural approach

This paper presents a methodological protocol that combines a structural and a morphological approach to classify residential buildings into spatial patterns of urban growth. Variography analysis is employed to endogenously detect thresholds of building agglomerations, subsequently used as distance parameters for series of morphological closings over the distribution of the building centroids. The different bounding regions ultimately allow classifying new residential buildings into different categories according to their degrees of clustering/scattering and to their locations within/without existing urban structures and within/without recent urban sprawl. The protocol, developed for areas where suburbs tend to proliferate, is tested on a region in southern France using residential buildings in 2002, 2017, and those that appeared between these two dates. It successfully classified the new buildings into the following categories: “clustered infill urban densification”, “scattered infill urban densification”, “low-density edge-expansion”, “compact edge-expansion”, “low-density scattered urban development”, and “leapfrog urban development” thus showing that new residential buildings are not contributing to urban sprawl and development in a similar fashion. Open access is provided to the source code and to the test region data.
Recovery of Chromium from Slags Leachates by Electrocoagulation and Solid Product Characterization

Slags produced in the steelmaking industry could be a source of chromium. Slags contain, depending on different types of slags, between 2 to 5 wt. % of Cr. Roasting of slag with NaOH, followed by subsequent leaching can produce leachates which can be efficiently processed using electrocoagulation (EC). This paper provides results from the EC process optimization for Cr(VI) solutions with initial concentration 1000 mg/L of Cr(VI). Influence of pH, current intensity and NaCl concentration on the efficiency of chromium recovery, energy consumption as well as solid product composition is discussed in detail. Optimum of pH = 6 was chosen for EC processing of Cr leachates as well as current intensities of 0.1–0.5 A because of the higher Cr/Fe ratio in solid product compared to higher current intensities. Results of EC processing of four real leachates of electric arc furnace carbon steel slag (EAFC), electric arc furnace stainless steel slag (EAFS), low carbon ferrochrome slag (LC FeCr) and high carbon ferrochrome slag (HC FeCr) were evaluated. Comparison of the results of four real leachate samples is presented. Obtained final solid product was identified as (Fe0.6 Cr0.4)2O3 and with up to 20% of Cr could be used as source of chromium in the ferrochrome production.
Vapor-liquid equilibria in the carbon dioxide + ethanol and carbon dioxide + 1-butanol systems

Vapor-liquid equilibrium data for CO 2 + ethanol mixtures at 314.5, 325.2, and 337.2 K and for CO 2 + 1-butanol mixtures at 314.8, 325.3, and 337.2 K have been measured by using a high pressure flow apparatus. The pressure in the experiments ranges from 4.633 to 11.776 MPa
Host selection is not expressed for underground hosts in a pupal parasitoid

Host–parasitoid dynamics is critically influenced by variability in parasitism risk among hosts, and the host preference of the parasitoid is one of the factors causing such variability. This study examined the host preferences of the pupal parasitoid Dirhinus giffardii (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) on pupae of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the laboratory. Dirhinus giffardii prefers large hosts and avoids hosts nearing eclosion when hosts are exposed to the parasitoid. This study reexamined the preferences when host pupae are in the soil (simulated by peat moss) because tephritid hosts, including B. dorsalis, pupate in the soil. Results showed that D. giffardii preferentially parasitized large hosts when hosts were exposed, but host size‐dependent parasitism was absent when hosts were in the soil. Preference on host age was absent even when hosts were exposed, contradicting the results of previous studies. The discrepancy was examined by performing a follow‐up experiment to test the hypothesis that D. giffardii cannot distinguish host age, but eggs that are laid on older hosts cannot develop successfully. The parasitoid successfully hatched regardless of host age, and the hypothesis was rejected. Potential explanations for the discrepancy are discussed.
Molecular beam epitaxy beam flux modeling

A computer model for the effusion process commonly utilized in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is presented. The model is capable of simulating effusion sources of both conical and cylindrical design. The results of the model, for one MBE setup, shows that the gallium flux incident on a 4×4cm area has greater than a 30% variation and the gallium to arsenic ratio incident upon the same region varies by a factor of 2. A gallium arsenide (GaAs) layer was then grown under approximately the same conditions as used in the simulation. Observation of the layer’s thickness and morphology show reasonable agreement with the computer model’s results.
Determination of dopamine in rat less differentiated pheochromocytoma cells by capillary electrophoresis with a palladium nanoparticles microdisk electrode

A simple method was described for the direct detection of dopamine (DA) in single rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells) by capillary electrophoresis with a palladium nanoparticles modified carbon fiber microdisk electrode (PdNPsCFME). The Pd nanoparticles could be electrodeposited on the surface of the carbon fiber microdisk electrode (CFME) with a simple pretreatment procedure. The PdNPsCFME provided an enhanced effective electrode surface and high catalytic activity toward dopamine compared to traditional CFME. Under optimized detection conditions, dopamine responded linearly from the range of 0.2 μM to 2 μM and 2 μM to 0.1 mM with correlation coefficients of 0.9979 and 0.9990. The concentration detection limit was 0.1 μM (S/N = 3). The relative standard deviations of the migration time and peak current were 1.4% and 3.5%, respectively. This method had been successfully applied to determine DA in single PC12 cells and the amount of DA in ten PC12 cells ranged from 1.2 to 6.3 fmol. The above results demonstrated that CE coupled with PdNPsCFME is convenient, sensitive, and will become an attractive alternative method for single-cell analysis.
Examination of WRF-ARW Experiments Using Different Planetary Boundary Layer Parameterizations to Study the Rapid Intensification and Trajectory of Hurricane Otto (2016)

Hurricane Otto (2016) was characterised by remarkable meteorological features of relevance for the scientific community and society. Scientifically, among the most important attributes of Otto is that it underwent a rapid intensification (RI) process. For society, this cyclone severely impacted Costa Rica and Nicaragua, leaving enormous economic losses and many fatalities. In this study, a set of three numerical simulations are performed to examine the skill of model estimations in reproducing RI and trajectory of Hurricane Otto by comparing the results of a global model to a regional model using three different planetary boundary layer parameterizations (PBL). The objective is to set the basis for future studies that analyse the physical reasons why a particular simulation (associated with a certain model setup) performs better than others in terms of reproducing RI and trajectory. We use the regional model Weather Research and Forecasting—Advanced Research WRF (WRF-ARW) with boundary and initial conditions provided by the Global Forecast System (GFS) analysis (horizontal resolution of 0.5 degrees). The PBL used are the Medium Range Forecast, the Mellor-Yamada-Janjic (MYJ), and the Yonsei University (YSU) parameterizations. The regional model is run in three static domains with horizontal grid spacing of 27, 9 and 3 km, the latter covering the spacial extent of Otto during the simulation period. WRF-ARW results improve the GFS forecast, in almost every aspect evaluated in this study, particularly, the simulated trajectories in WRF-ARW show a better representation of the cyclone path and movement compared to GFS. Even though the MYJ experiment was the only one that exhibited an abrupt 24-h change in the storm’s surface wind, close to the 25-knot threshold, the YSU scheme presented the fastest intensification, closest to reality.
Institutions and Innovation: A Review of Recent Literature

Technological innovation is critical to a country's economic development and a firm's long-term success. This article reviews the recent literature that links institutions and innovation. Specifically, we focus on five aspects of the linkage. First, we discuss the literature that explores how the culture of a society or a corporation influences the process, features, and outcomes of innovation activities. Second, we review papers that focus on the role of demographic characteristics in innovation. Third, we describe studies examining the relation between market development and firms’ incentives as well as their ability to engage in innovative investments. Fourth, we discuss the literature on how innovation is shaped by a nation's laws and policies. Finally, we review the academic papers regarding the effects of government regulations and policies on innovation activities. Overall, this article aims to provide a synthetic and evaluative review of recent academic research that links various aspects of institutions and innovation. We also provide our views on potential directions for future research in this area.