Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender Differences in Adolescent Athletes' Beliefs and Values

The purpose of this study is to examine gender differences in adolescent athletes’ expectancy-related beliefs and task values as well as the relationship between the two constructs within the expectancy-value model of achievement choice. The participants were 349 males and 283 females (N = 632) participating in the 34 th Sarawak School Sports Inter-Division Athletic Meet. They were divided into two age groups of 15 and 18 years. They completed questionnaires assessing their expectancy-related beliefs and subjective task values. Results revealed gender differences in expectancy-related beliefs but no differences emerged in the task values. The results also indicated that expectancy-related beliefs and subjective task values were related to each other positively.
Energy-efficient data gathering with tour length-constrained mobile elements in wireless sensor networks

Several studies in recent years have considered the use of mobile elements for data gathering in wireless sensor networks, so as to reduce the need for multi-hop forwarding among the sensor nodes and thereby prolong the network lifetime. Since, typically, practical constraints preclude a mobile element from visiting all nodes in the sensor network, the solution must involve a combination of a mobile element visiting a subset of the nodes (cache points), while other nodes communicate their data to the cache points wirelessly. This leads to the optimization problem of minimizing the communication distance of the sensor nodes, while keeping the tour length of the mobile element below a given constraint. Several algorithms in existing literature have tackled this problem by separating the construction of the mobile element tour from the computation of the forwarding trees to the cache points. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm that alternates between these phases and iteratively improves the outcome of each phase, based on the result of the other. We compare the resulting performance of our algorithm with that of previous work, and show that it closes a considerable portion of the gap from the theoretical optimal solution.
Cell-specific regulation of proliferation by Ano1/TMEM16A in breast cancer with different ER, PR, and HER2 status

The calcium-activated chloride channel Ano1 (TMEM16A) is overexpressed in many tumors. However, conflicting data exist regarding the role of Ano1 in cell proliferation. Here, we performed immunohistochemistry to investigate the expression of Ano1 and Ki67 in 403 patients with breast cancer, and analyzed the association between the expression of Ano1 and Ki67 in breast cancer subtypes categorized according to estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Ano1 expression was negatively correlated with Ki67 expression. Ano1 overexpression more frequently occurred in ER-positive or HER2-negative patients with the low expression of Ki67. Ano1 overexpression was associated with longer overall survival (OS) in breast cancer with the low expression of Ki67, especially in ER-positive, PR-positive, and HER2-negative breast cancer. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that Ano1 overexpression was a prognostic factor for longer overall survival in ER-positive, PR-positive, or HER2-negative patients with the low expression of Ki67. Furthermore, Ano1 promoted cell proliferation in ER-positive, PR-positive, and HER2-negative MCF7 cells, but inhibited cell proliferation in ER-negative, PR-negative, and HER2-negative MDA-MB-435S cells. Our findings suggest that Ano1 may differentially regulate cell proliferation in a subtype of breast cancer defined by ER, PR, and HER2. Combined expression of Ano1 and Ki67 may be used for predicting clinical outcomes of breast cancer patients with different subtypes of ER, PR, and HER2.
The Impact of Race and Diabetes on Mortality among Breast Cancer Patients

ed from the continuous variable Age_P in the NHIS questionnaire and subsequently classified into 3 categories, 18-34, 35-64, and 65+. Pre-existing diabetes was derived from the two variables, “Age first diagnosed with breast cancer” and “Age first diagnosed with diabetes”. Pre-existing diabetes was classified into two categories, Yes (where age first diagnosed with diabetes < age first diagnosed with breast cancer) and No (where age first diagnosed with diabetes ≥ age first diagnosed with breast cancer). Years of diabetes prior to cancer diagnosis was abstracted from two questions in the NHIS questionnaire; “Age first diagnosed with diabetes” and “Age first diagnosed with breast cancer. Age first diagnosed with diabetes was subtracted from age first diagnosed with breast cancer. The resulting integer was then classified into four categories; where the equation resulted in a negative integer the category was “Developed After”, where the equation resulted in a positive integer, the results were classified into < 5 years, 5-10 years, and > 10 years. Age first diagnosed with cancer is a continuous variable derived from the survey question “How old were you when cancer was first diagnosed? ” among respondents who replied yes to having been diagnosed with breast cancer. Dependent Variables This study has two dependent variables. The first variable assessed is history of diabetes is operationalized by the survey question “Have you ever been told you have diabetes? ” and
Inflation versus price-level targeting and the zero lower bound: Stochastic simulations from the Smets-Wouters US model

Using a version of the Smets-Wouters model of the US economy augmented to include both New Keynesian and New Classical sectors, this paper investigates the performance of inflation targeting and price-level targeting when the zero lower bound on nominal interest rates is occasionally-binding. Several notable results emerge. First, the unconditional probability of hitting the lower bound is lower under price-level targeting than inflation targeting, with 'lower bound episodes' being less frequent and lasting for shorter periods of time. Second, the volatilities of key macroeconomic variables are lower under price-level targeting than inflation targeting. Third, the lower frequency and severity of lower bound episodes under price-level targeting appears to have a first-order impact on consumption, investment and output, raising their mean values. Intuitively, price-level targeting performs well because inflation expectations act as automatic stabilisers, reducing the chance of hitting or remaining at the lower bound whilst also providing stability when the economy is away from the lower bound.
Highly Emissive Green Perovskite Nanocrystals in a Solid State Crystalline Matrix

Perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted attention due to their high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) in solution; however, maintaining high emission efficiency in the solid state remains a challenge. This study presents a solution‐phase synthesis of efficient green‐emitting perovskite NCs (CsPbBr3) embedded in robust and air‐stable rhombic prism hexabromide (Cs4PbBr6) microcrystals, reaching a PLQY of 90%. Theoretical modeling and experimental characterization suggest that lattice matching between the NCs and the matrix contribute to improved passivation, while spatial confinement enhances the radiative rate of the NCs. In addition, dispersing the NCs in a matrix prevents agglomeration, which explains their high PLQY.
Design and implementation of a GPS based personal tracking system

Tracking based applications have been quite popular in recent times. Most of them have been limited to commercial applications such as vehicular tracking (e.g tracking of a train etc). However, not much work has been done towards design of a personal tracking system. Our Research work is an attempt to design such personal tracking system. In this paper, we have shared glimpses of our research work.
Notice of RetractionA study on Strategic Cost Management based on Value Chain Analysis

Strategic Cost Management (SCM) is deliberate decision-making aimed at aligning the firm's cost structure with its strategy and optimizing the enactment of the strategy. An important management topic across a wide spectrum of firms is reconfiguring the value delivery system - defining the boundaries of the firm. Profit impact should be the way that any value chain configuration is evaluated. The paper aims at to propose a theoretical extension to the literature that bridges the SCM, using Value Chain Analysis (VCA), and to illustrate the application of the two theory.
A Least-squares Approach to Mutual Information Estimation with Application in Variable Selection

We propose a new method of estimating mutual information from samples. Our method, called Least-Squares Mutual Information (LSMI), has several attractive properties, e.g., density estimation is not involved, an analytic-form solution is available, a variant of crossvalidation can be used for model selection, and an approximate leaveone-out error can be computed very efficiently. Numerical experiments show that LSMI compares favorably with existing methods in mutual information estimation and variable selection. The practical usefulness of LSMI is demonstrated also in protein subcellular localization prediction.
Self-Protective Memory: Separation/Integration as a Mechanism for Mnemic Neglect

Negative self-referent information about central traits is recalled relatively poorly. Such mnemic neglect—a form of self-protective memory—entails the selective processing of threatening information. Here, we hypothesize a specific mechanism whereby it occurs: nonthreatening information gets integrated with stored self-knowledge, whereas threatening information gets separated from it. In two experiments participants read behavioral information in tandem with a processing instruction designed to either separate it from, or integrate it with, stored self-knowledge. As hypothesized, information recall (but not recognition) was reduced following separation as opposed to integration instructions. Moreover, although concurrent mnemic neglect effects emerged in Experiment 2, the recall of central negative information was less boosted by integration instructions than the recall of central positive information was impaired by separation instructions, consistent with greater striving to self-protect than to self-e.
Diffusion processes in vitreous silica revisited

Crystal growth kinetics in glass forming liquids have been extensively studied. In stoichiometric systems which undergo glass to crystal transformation without compositional changes, crystal growth should be controlled by reactions at the crystal/melt interface and is normally described by one of three classical phenomenological models: normal (or continuous) growth, screw dislocation growth, and 2D surface nucleated growth. However, for only a few stoichiometric glass forming oxide systems crystal growth rates have been measured in wide temperature ranges, from approximately Tg to Tm (e.g. SiO2, GeO2, Na2O.2SiO2, Li2O.2SiO2, K2O.4B2O3, diopside, cordierite and perhaps a few others). These few glasses have been the subject of numerous investigations. Nevertheless, the crystal growth mechanism is thought to be known for only a few: e.g. GeO2, SiO2 – normal growth; Na2O⋅2SiO2 and diopside – screw dislocation; and K2O.4B2O3 – 2D nucleated growth. In addition, diffusion data for the slowest moving species in such glasses – Si, B, Ge, and O – are scarce and thus the precise mechanism of diffusive transport controlling crystal growth in such glasses and in most of the non-stoichiometric systems remains unknown. Silica (SiO2) is an important mineral from a geological standpoint and is also the most important glass former. In addition, high silica glasses having >99·9% SiO2, best known as quartz glass, fused quartz or vitreous silica, have a plethora of important commercial applications, such as laboratory glassware, telescopic mirrors, optical filters and fibres. In the existing literature one can find kinetic data: e.g. crystal growth rates, viscosities and self diffusion coefficients for several silica glass types having distinct impurity levels, as described below. However, most of these previous studies do not cover wide temperature ranges, and comparisons between different silica glass types can be rather difficult and confusing. But we will show below that such difficulties can be overcome. Furthermore, as thermodynamic and kinetic data, such as melting enthalpy and viscosity are available for silica, quantitative comparisons between crystal growth models and experiments are facilitated. Silica glass manufacturers generally divide the whole spectrum of commercial transparent silica glasses into several types, depending on the starting materials, production method, content and type of impurities, such as alkali and metal ions, OH and chlorine: Type I – glasses obtained by melting natural or synthetic quartz in electrical furnaces. Such glasses contain about 30 ppm alkali and metal impurities such as Li, Na, K, Al, Fe, Ti, Ca, etc., inherited from the initial raw material, but less than 30 ppm ‘water’. Examples of commercial products are: Infrasil, GE 124, 125, 201 and 204a, KI, KS4V, Puropsil A and B, Pursil, Rotosil, T-2030 and IR Vitreosil. Diffusion processes in vitreous silica revisited
Addressing the Practical and Ethical Issues of Nudging in Environmental Policy

Nudging refers to the subtle design of the context of choice in a way that mobilises the unconscious mind and alters human behaviour predictably. Nudging has been criticised for entailing numerous practical and ethical problems, including manipulation, elitism and cultural insensitivity. To respond to the problems, participatory and deliberative procedures have been proposed that would enable the questioning of the power relations embedded in behavioural governance. Yet participation and deliberation are themselves characterised by unconscious behavioural influences. I argue that awareness of the prevalence of unconscious behavioural influences in environmental governance is a prerequisite for tackling the complex practical and ethical issues of nudging. I show that unconscious behavioural influences permeate environmental governance and outline analytical approaches for revealing them.
Bringing Streaming Video to Wireless Handheld Devices

In fact, video compression techniques like MPEG-4 and others are reducing the wireless bandwidth needed for streaming video. But there still remain other factors, which are just as critical as bandwidth, if not more so. Beyond bandwidth, the other half of the streaming video equation is the architecture and capabilities of the terminal device itself. Even if unlimited wireless bandwidth were suddenly to become available, service providers and terminal device manufacturers would have no assurance they could provide a high-quality streaming video experience, unless the architecture of the terminal device featured a solid foundation for the application and the processing capabilities to pull it off.
Adopting Flocks of Birds Approach to Predator for Anomalies Detection on Industrial Control Systems

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) such as Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) can be seen in many different critical infrastructures, from nuclear management to utility, medical equipment, power, waste and engine management on ships and planes. The role SCADA plays in critical infrastructure has resulted in a call to secure them. Many lives depend on it for daily activities and the attack vectors are becoming more sophisticated. Hence, the security of ICS is vital as malfunction of it might result in huge risk. This paper describes how the application of Prey Predator (PP) approach in flocks of birds could enhance the detection of malicious activities on ICS. The PP approach explains how these animals in groups or flocks detect predators by following some simple rules. They are not necessarily very intelligent animals but their approach in solving complex issues such as detection through corporation, coordination and communication worth emulating. This paper will emulate flocking behavior seen in birds in detecting predators. The PP approach will adopt six nearest bird approach in detecting any predator. Their local and global bests are based on the individual detection as well as group detection. The PP algorithm was designed following MapReduce methodology that follows a Split Detection Convergence (SDC) approach. Keywords—Industrial control systems, prey predator, SCADA, SDC.
The Relationship between Stress and Dance Accomplishment of High School Students Majoring in Dance by Maternal Parenting Behavior

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the impact of maternal parenting behavior on the stress and accomplishment of dance of arts high school students majoring in dance. Methods/Statistical Analysis: A total of 300 students were sampled from 7 arts high schools in Seoul, Kyunggi, Kwangwon, Chungnam regions, using purposive sampling methods. The questionnaire was composed with 4 questions on personal characteristics, 26 on maternal parenting behavior, 31 on stress, and 9 on accomplishment of dance. The collected data was processed with SPSS 18.0 statistical program for correlation analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis and multiple regression analysis. Findings: First, of the sub-factors of maternal parenting behavior perceived by the high school students majoring in dance, excessive interference has significantly negative impact upon teach-student relationship, learning, physique, health, and individual psychology stress of the dance-majoring students. Second, of the sub-factors of maternal parenting behavior perceived by the high school students majoring in dance, negligence has significantly negative impact upon comprehension ability achievement while excessive interference has a negative impact on the achievement of practical ability of the high school students majoring in dance. Application/Improvements: It is known that excessive interference of maternal parenting behavior, increases the stress that dance-majoring students have and also decrease their accomplishment of dance. Therefore, it is important for a parent to allow autonomy to children.
Clinical and Molecular Pharmacology of Etomidate

This review focuses on the unique clinical and molecular pharmacologic features of etomidate. Among general anesthesia induction drugs, etomidate is the only imidazole, and it has the most favorable therapeutic index for single-bolus administration. It also produces a unique toxicity among anesthetic drugs: inhibition of adrenal steroid synthesis that far outlasts its hypnotic action and that may reduce survival of critically ill patients. The major molecular targets mediating anesthetic effects of etomidate in the central nervous system are specific &ggr;-aminobutyric acid type A receptor subtypes. Amino acids forming etomidate binding sites have been identified in transmembrane domains of these proteins. Etomidate binding site structure models for the main enzyme mediating etomidate adrenotoxicity have also been developed. Based on this deepening understanding of molecular targets and actions, new etomidate derivatives are being investigated as potentially improved sedative–hypnotics or for use as highly selective inhibitors of adrenal steroid synthesis.
Alterations in microbial community composition with increasing fCO2: a mesocosm study in the eastern Baltic Sea

Abstract. Ocean acidification resulting from the uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) by the ocean is considered a major threat to marine ecosystems. Here we examined the effects of ocean acidification on microbial community dynamics in the eastern Baltic Sea during the summer of 2012 when inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus were strongly depleted. Large-volume in situ mesocosms were employed to mimic present, future and far future CO2 scenarios. All six groups of phytoplankton enumerated by flow cytometry (
Future Generation Computer Systems ( ) – Future Generation Computer Systems a Cloud Based Health Insurance Plan Recommendation System: a User Centered Approach

• We present a cloud based health insurance plan recommendation system. • We propose a standard ontological representation for all the health insurance plans. • An algorithm to determine the similarities between the user requirements and plans is presented. • We propose a ranking technique based on the Multi-attribute Utility Theory (MAUT). a b s t r a c t The recent concept of ''Health Insurance Marketplace'' introduced to facilitate the purchase of health insurance by comparing different insurance plans in terms of price, coverage benefits, and quality designates a key role to the health insurance providers. Currently, the web based tools available to search for health insurance plans are deficient in offering personalized recommendations based on the coverage benefits and cost. Therefore, anticipating the users' needs we propose a cloud based framework that offers personalized recommendations about the health insurance plans. We use the Multi-attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) to help users compare different health insurance plans based on coverage and cost criteria, such as: (a) premium, (b) co-pay, (c) deductibles, (d) co-insurance, and (e) maximum benefit offered by a plan. To overcome the issues arising possibly due to the heterogeneous data formats and different plan representations across the providers, we present a standardized representation for the health insurance plans. The plan information of each of the providers is retrieved using the Data as a Service (DaaS). The framework is implemented as Software as a Service (SaaS) to offer customized recommendations by applying a ranking technique for the identified plans according to the user specified criteria.
Yttrium-90 Microsphere Radioembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Yttrium-90 (Y90) radioembolization is an emerging strategy to treat liver malignancies, and clinical data supporting its use have accumulated in recent years. Y90-radioembolization has shown clinical effectiveness in intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, with a favorable safety profile. Retrospective data show similar levels of effectiveness to transarterial chemoembolization in intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma, with some evidence of better tolerance. While phase 3 studies comparing Y90-radioembolization to chemoembolization in intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma would be difficult to conduct, studies comparing or combining Y90-radioembolization with sorafenib are under way. Questions also remain about the most suitable modalities for defining the dose to administer. Phase 3 studies are under way to clarify the place of Y90-radioembolization in the algorithm of HCC treatment.
Generalized watershed and PDEs for geometric-textural segmentation

In this paper we approach the segmentation problem by attempting to incorporate cues such as intensity contrast, region size and texture in the segmentation procedure and derive improved results compared to using individual cues separately. We propose efficient simplification operators and feature extraction schemes, capable of quantifying important characteristics like geometrical complexity, rate of change in local contrast variations and orientation, that eventually favor the final segmentation result. Based on the morphological paradigm of watershed transform we investigate and extend its PDE formulation in order to satisfy various flooding criteria, and couple them with texture information thus making it applicable to a wider range of images.