Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimizing Investment Selection for PPP Framework in the Transport Sector: A Risk Perspective

The huge financial requirement of essential transport infrastructure system has challenged the availability of government funding. To fill the fiscal gap, public–private partnerships (PPP) framework has been applied as a promising mechanism. The success of PPP projects, however, is significantly influenced by a number of critical factors. Therefore, an optimum and comprehensive evaluation of projects, reflecting critical risks, supporting investment decisions, has been highly demanded by both the public and private sector. Various works, in previous studies, have been spreading scientific models assessing risks in the construction industry, and some of them focused on the area of PPP. However, the majority of published methods just concentrated on addressing and leveling risks, and there is a lack of application in evaluating and comparing different PPP projects, as investment options, with regards to key issues. Hence, in the situation of limited budget, the public and private partners may struggle with deciding the most potential alternative. To overcome this real-world challenge, this paper, by proposing a mathematical model, attempts to optimize investment selection by evaluating different projects' riskiness with the focus on transport projects. Different actual PPP transport projects in Vietnam were employed as case studies to analyze the practicality of the proposed application.
One-step synthesis of Pt based electrocatalysts encapsulated by polyoxometalate for methanol oxidation

Methanol oxidation is a very important reaction in diret methanol fuel cells. Developing stable and efficient Pt-based catalysts with a convenient method has been on the stage recently. Herein, we employed a convenient one-pot method to synthesize Pt nanoparticles encapsulated by polyoxometalates (POMs) spreading on a few layers of graphene oxide with a nickel foam as a conductive substrate. Four kinds of samples with different Pt loadings were finally obtained by adjusting the H2PtCl6 concentration, named as PPGN-n (n = 1, 2, 3, 4). The microscopic structure of the sample was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. It was proved that small-sized Pt nanoparticles with a diameter of ca. 2.47 nm spreaded on graphene oxide (GO) with the nickle foam support were successfully synthesized. The synthesized electrocatalysts exhibited higher electrocatalytic activities than commercial Pt/C for methanol oxidation in electrocatalytic tests. The mass activity of PPGN-1 of 250.6 mA mg−1 can be achieved. During the synthesis, POM was used as a bifunctional reagent; as a reductant for reducing chloroplatinic acid and a stabilizer for the regulation of the Pt nanoparticle size simultaneously. POM cooperated rapid synthesis of Pt nanoparticles can offer a new route for designing and synthesising electrocatalysts.
THE EFFECT OF SERVICE AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITY ON SATISFACTION AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENT TRUST: CASE STUDY IN D3 FEB USK

This study intends to examine the effect of service and educational facility on satisfaction and its impact on student trust. This study was conducted at the Diploma Program of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala (D3 FEB USK), Indonesia. The population of this research is 1648 students who have taken the second semester of the D3 FEB USK Program who are active in the 2017/2018 academic year. The number of samples in this research was 175 people who were taken based on the number of indicators multiplied by 5, namely 35 indicators x 5. The data were analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method. The results reveal that in proving the descriptive hypothesis, it is proven that the achievements of the service, facilities, satisfaction and student trust variables in the USK FEB D3 Program are good. In the direct model path, service significantly affects student satisfaction, educational facilities significantly affect student satisfaction, service significantly affects student trust, educational facilities significantly affect student trust, and satisfaction significantly affects student trust. In the indirect model path, the results prove that student satisfaction mediates the effect of service on student trust and the effect of educational facilities on student trust. The results also reveal that satisfaction plays a role as a partial mediator in mediating exogenous to endogenous variables. This model can be a reference for academics and further researchers to develop a model for increasing trust in educational institutions. Further researchers can develop this model by adding other variables such as the brand image or brand equity of educational institutions. This model is also able to contribute to the formulation of strategies to increase student trust in D3 FEB USK. Keyword: Service, educational facility, satisfaction, trust.
Spatio-temporal variability in the desposition of beach-cast kelp (wrack) and inter-specific differences in degradation rates

: Coastal habitats dominated by marine macroalgae typically exhibit high rates of primary productivity and play a key role in local and regional carbon cycles and stores. In temperate regions, large brown algae (i.e. kelps and fucoids) contribute significantly to macroalgal primary production, most of which is exported from source habitats as detritus. The ultimate fate of this detritus and the processes controlling detrital pathways into food webs and carbon cycles remain poorly understood. Based on field surveys, we quantified the biomass of kelp-derived detritus (wrack) at sandy and pebble-dominated shores in Ireland and conducted a manipulative field experiment to test for inter-specific differences in detritus degradation rates and the effect of macroinvertebrate detritivores. Overall, accumulated wrack biomass was similar on all shores but varied temporally depending on habitat type. Degradation rates and the nutritional (C:N) and chemical (polyphenol concentrations) properties differed among kelp species. Interestingly, exclusion of macroinvertebrate detritivores did not affect kelp degradation rates, C:N ratios or polyphenol content. Our findings show that rates of macroalgal breakdown differ among kelp species and that, in contrast to other aquatic systems, macroinvertebrates appear to play a very limited role in the breakdown of these marine detrital subsidies, suggesting a key role for meio-fauna and microbes in detritus processing. Increasing recognition for the role of detritus in coastal food webs and carbon cycles warrants a better understanding of the mechanisms underpinning degradation rates.
The Relationship Between Social Skills and Coping Drinking Motives: A Test of the Social Skills Deficit Vulnerability Model

The Relationship Between Social Skill and Coping Drinking Motives: A Test of the Social Skill Deficit Vulnerability Model by Jaimee A. Smart, Master of Science Utah State University, 2021 Major Professor: Timothy Curran, Ph.D. Department: Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Coping drinking motives have consistently been associated with the development of alcohol-related problems, including problematic drinking patterns. Given the negative consequences, this study explored the potential antecedence of coping drinking motives. Specifically, the study was designed to determine if individuals with poor social skills display problematic health behaviors, namely coping drinking motives, in response to lack of social support. Grounded in the Social Skills Deficit Vulnerability model, this research examined the role social skills and social support play on coping drinking motives. Findings indicated that social skills were positively directly related to social support. Moreover, social support was negatively associated with coping drinking motives. There were no direct effects of social skills on coping drinking motives. There were, however, indirect effects of social skills on coping drinking motives through social iv support. Specifically, the mediation model revealed a significant negative indirect effect from social skills to coping drinking motives through social support. (45 pages)
Transfer-function-independent acceleration structure for volume rendering in virtual reality

Visualizing volumetric medical datasets in a virtual reality environment enhances the sense of scale and has a wide range of applications in diagnostics, simulation, training, and surgical planning. To avoid motion sickness, rendering at the native refresh rate of the head-mounted display is important, and frame drops have to be avoided. Despite these strict requirements and the high computational complexity of direct volume rendering, it is feasible to provide a comfortable experience using volume ray casting on modern hardware. Many implementations use precomputed gradients or illumination to achieve the targeted frame rate, and most rely on acceleration structures, such as distance maps or octrees, to speed up the ray marching shader. With many of these techniques, the opacity of voxels is baked into the precomputed data, requiring a recomputation when the opacity changes. This makes it difficult to implement features that lead to a sudden change in voxel opacity, such as real-time transfer function editing, transparency masking, or toggling the visibility of segmented tissues. In this work, we present an empty space skipping technique using an octree that does not have to be recomputed when the transfer function is changed and performs well even when more complex transfer functions are used. We encode the content of the volume as bitfields in the octree and are able to skip empty areas, even with transfer functions that cannot efficiently be represented as a simple range of voxel values. We show that our approach allows arbitrarily editing of the transfer function in real-time while maintaining the target frame rate of 90 Hz.
Mega-Hertz High-Voltage EMAT Pulser Based on LCC Resonant Inverter Using SiC MOSFETs

Pulse power supply is an important field of high-frequency power electronics. In advanced applications, such as ultrasonic sensors, Lidar waves, and laser generators, the voltage supply with high amplitude and high frequency is required to achieve sufficient technical performance. Meanwhile, the high power quality is pursued in some sensor applications to obtain better performance. This article develops a ±1000-V/1.5-MHz LCC resonant pulse inverter for electromagnetic acoustic transducer. First, the LCC filter is optimized to achieve the goals of low total harmonics distortion (THD), small gain variation, and zero-voltage soft-switching (ZVS) in a wide load range. The design guideline of LCC filter for nonresistive load conditions is proposed, and the design considerations for burst mode converters are summarized. Second, the startup and ending transients occur repetitively, which is a common problem for burst mode converters. The proposed precharging and damping strategy solves this transient problem. Moreover, by analyzing the circuit state equations, this strategy provides a general method for eliminating transients of resonant converters. Next, the signal receiving circuit uses depletion mode MOSFETs to attenuate the high transmitting load voltage while amplifying microvolt receiving signals. Finally, the experimental results under four worst case conditions validate the LCC filter design. A control experiment with or without the proposed transient mitigation method has been conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Indigenous development of single screw conveying machine for pyrolysis of waste plastics using nano zeolite particles in fixed bed reactor

ABSTRACT In the current economic growth, the development of energy from sustainable resources plays a vital role in saving of fossil energy like hydrocarbons, methane extraction, crude oil and other natural resources. In this present work, a new method has been developed to prepare liquified fuels from waste LDPE with improved yield. Single screw conveying machine is attached with pyrolysis setup was designed and fabricated to mix plastic wastes with nano zeolite particle catalyst using various proportions such as 8, 10,12 and 14 wt. %. The distribution of nano zeolite particle with waste plastics was found to be uniform, which increases the heat transfer rate, pyrolysis temperature and lower the reaction rate with an improved pyrolytic oil yield of 7% compared with normal pyrolysis setup. The FT-IR results of prepared oil show clear peaks of carbon and oxidising agent chemical bonds in all liquid oil samples and also, alkanes present in the oil are confirmed with the GC-MS results. The liquid oil has a higher heating value range of 9830–9860 kCal/kg, which is close to conventional diesel heating value.
Statistical Evaluation and Characterization of Carica papaya Metabolites

Background: Natural resources are often sought for potential molecules which are pharm acologically active. Carica papaya is a well-known plant, studied for its constituent secondary metabolites and their benefits. Methods: This study focuses on identifying low molecular weight secondary metabolites form Carica papaya as potential pharmacophores, based on their structure. We determined their similarity with pharmaceutically active anti-clotting molecules using clustering method. Cheminformatic and Statistical analysis was done with data on molecular characteristics. Results: We have identified Carica papaya compounds to be pharmacologically active. In this study, we have differentiated Carica papaya compounds, through statistical analysis using clustering method, on the basis of significant molecular properties. Conclusion: Molecular similarity of secondary metabolites revealed through this study identifies, Carica papaya metabolites as a possible substitute drug and a preventive medicine against thrombosis.
Investigating the Effect of Serious Games as an Intervention on Iranian EFL Learners' Vocabulary Learning and Retention during COVID-19 Pandemic

The present study used a type of digital game-based language learning (DGBLL) application, called serious games (SGs), to seek its effect on vocabulary learning and retention. To this aim, young EFL learners from a language institute were assigned to a Control Group (n=26) and an Experimental Group (n=28). They were taught 40 words within 8 sessions of vocabulary instruction classes. In each class, both groups were taught the target words of the day as per the conventional mode of teaching, for the first 20 minutes. However, for the next 40 minutes, the Experimental Group was instructed to use the Fun Easy Learn application, which contained the words taught in class, while the Control Group continued with their regular mode of vocabulary instruction. To measure vocabulary learning and retention, vocabulary pretest, posttest and delayed posttest, comprising the target words, were administered to both groups before, immediately and six weeks after the intervention program, respectively. The results of data analysis using repeated measures ANOVA, comparing within-subjects and between-subjects' effects, showed that in comparison to the control group, the increase in the scores of the experimental group participants over time was statistically significant in their learning and, to a greater extent, their retention of vocabulary. Also, the data collected from interviews to gain learner perception of the intervention program showed that overall, the study participants were more motivated to use the application during online classes than during inperson learning. Elicited responses also revealed that teachercentered online instruction, frustration due to lack of social communication with their classmates, and the ineffectiveness of the internet system were contributing to their increasing lack of interest in learning. Thus, this study provides empirical evidence of the potential effectiveness of serious games used as interventions during online vocabulary instruction to reinforce learning and retention. The qualitative data suggests that SGs could help maintain learner motivation especially when learners become disengaged with online teacher centered instructions, and when learning environments and conditions are not conducive to learning such as those that are prevalent these days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Basic Nano Magnetic Particles and Essential Oils: Biological Applications

Essential oils (EOs) are complex mixtures of volatile compounds with different biological properties. Essential oils and their ability to resist the production of biofilms by pathogenic microorganisms have been linked to antimicrobial activity. After adherence of these pathogenic microorganisms to surfaces leads primarily to antibiotic resistance, it is vital to look for compounds or methodologies with this capacity. Essential oils have gained a lot of attention in recent years due to studies of their anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, and insecticidal properties. Due to their low toxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, capability to precisely target tissue, and initial structures that enable various therapeutics to be attached, MNPs (magnetite nanoparticles) are one kind of nanocarrier that could be used to deliver EOs for antimicrobial therapies effectively.
Organizing Preconception Care for Women Suffering from Chronic Diseases: Patients’ View on the Role of General Practitioners: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Women suffering from chronic diseases should preferably receive specialized individual preconception care (PCC) by an obstetrician before becoming pregnant. For most chronic diseases it is important that the disease is in remission or under control before conception, aiming for optimal pregnancy outcome. Especially, amongst other considerations, medication use should be monitored for toxicity before starting a pregnancy. Specific case findings followed by a referral to an obstetrician for specialized individual PCC by a general practitioner (GP) could be a solution to improve the uptake of PCC. The aim of this study was to explore patients’ views on PCC organized by general practitioners (GP) for women suffering from a chronic disease.Methods: We recruited participants via a public Facebook message. We asked women suffering from a chronic medical condition, aged 18-42 years, living in the Netherlands and planning to become pregnant to contact the researcher by a personal message. Once contacted, women received additional information about the aim of the study. After reading the study information, women were asked for participation and a digital informed consent was sent. Thereafter, an appointment for a semi-structured interview by telephone, the study intervention, was made. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and member checked. The transcripts were coded and analysed on facilitators and barriers for preconception care by GP’s, using NVivo 10.Results: 45 women replied to the public Facebook message. All women were contacted by the researcher. Finally, 23 women consented to participate in a semi-structured interview by telephone. This resulted in a heterogeneous study population. The participants indicated a range of facilitators and barriers for organizing PCC via the GP. The GP was viewed to be trustworthy, to have knowledge about their medical history and to have a coordinating role but limited knowledge about pregnancy. Patients preferred a referral from the GP to an obstetrician to have a face-to-face preconception consultation together with their medical specialist. Conclusions: According to women suffering from a chronic disease, PCC is ideally given by an obstetrician and medical specialist in a face-to-face consultation whereby the GP has a coordinating role.Trial registration: not applicable.
Parenting stress, social support, self-compassion, and parenting practices among mothers of children with ASD and ADHD

This study aimed to analyze the differences in parenting stress, perceptions of social support, self-compassion, and parenting practices between mothers of children with ASD and children with ADHD. Using the parental stress scale, the multidimensional scale of perceived social support, self-compassion scale, and parent construct, this study also aimed to analyze how the observed variables predicted the parenting practices among mothers of children with ASD and mothers of children with ADHD. An online survey was completed voluntarily by 34 mothers of children with ASD and 31 mothers of children with ADHD. MANOVA and regression analyses were conducted to support the hypothesis of the study. Results showed no significant difference in parenting stress, social supports, self-compassion, and parenting practices between the two groups. Parenting stress was revealed as a predictor for negative parenting practices among both groups. This research provides a picture of parenting practice among parents of children with ASD and ADHD in Indonesia, contributing to filling the gap concerning the limited available research in this field.
The effects of service operation engineering and green marketing on consumer buying interest

The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of service operation engineering and green marketing on consumer buying interest in a company in Jakarta. The analysis used in this research is a quantitative analysis technology using the statistical program analyzed by the SPSS 21 version of the program. In this study, the sample size is as many as 145 people. The data in this study are raw data, obtained through field research using questionnaire survey methods. The questionnaire survey method is a method of collecting data using a list of questions that must be filled out by the interviewee. The results of the survey indicate that service operation engineering and green marketing had some positive effects on consumers' buying interest. Service operation engineering has a dominant effect on consumer buying interest. For increasing consumer buying interest, service operation engineering is very important, since green marketing will implement service operation engineering support.
Application research on semi-definite programming optimized support vector machines

ABSTRACT The kernel function optimization is the key issues to address when using the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm. To solve the parameter selection for the SVM, a semi-definite programming optimized SVM (SDP-SVM) algorithm is proposed in this paper. The steps of the algorithm are described, and the optimization of the kernel function is shown using an SDP method. The SDP method is used to find the best parameter of SVM. The heart_scale data in the University of California Irvine database are then simulated using the SDP-SVM model. The experimental results shows that the generalization capability and the classification accuracy of the SDP-SVM algorithm have been greatly improved. A variety of strip-steel surface defect images from actual production are classified using the SDP-SVM algorithm, and the results show that the classification method of the SDP-SVM algorithm has high classification accuracy, strong practicability, and a wide variety of application prospects.