Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acceptance of novel products: the role of religiosity, ethnicity and values

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish and test the role of religiosity, ethnicity, individual basic values, and consumer innovativeness in influencing consumer acceptance of novel products. This paper specifically addresses: the driving force of religiosity and ethnicity and mediating roles of individual basic values and consumer innovativeness in influencing acceptance of novel products. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was constructed and distributed to 700 respondents in the urban area of Malaysia based on convenience sampling. The data collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings – Findings show that religiosity and ethnicity are the main drivers that influence the acceptance of new products. Specifically, religiosity and ethnicity have negative relationship with openness to change (stimulation, self-direction, and hedonism) and positive relationship with conservation value (traditions and conformity); conservation values have negative effects on.
Skeletonization by Gradient Diffusion and Regularization

This paper describes a skeletonization process for grayscale or color images which uses the diffusion of the image gradient vectors. We propose to diffuse the native gradients of the color images to obtain the skeleton of the main contrasted objects. Contrary to a distance transform or thinning based skeleton, the gradient vectors diffusion is a straightforward, simple, and efficient approach to compute the skeleton, which requires no complex parameters or predefined criteria and no prior image binarization. In comparison to other approaches based on potential field functions, our method does not require the segmentation of the objects or the precise localization of their contours. Our method is very simple to implement and can be applied to natural noisy color images. Some results on real color and grayscale images are reported.
Learning from texts: Effects of prior knowledge and text coherence

Two experiments, theoretically motivated by the construction‐integration model of comprehension (W. Kintsch, 1988), investigated effects of prior knowledge on learning from high‐ and low‐coherence history texts. In Experiment 1, participants’ comprehension was examined through free recall, multiple‐choice questions, and a keyword sorting task. An advantage was found for the high‐coherence text on recall and multiple‐choice questions. However, high‐knowledge readers performed better on the sorting task after reading the low‐coherence text. In Experiment 2, participants’ comprehension was examined through open‐ended questions and the sorting task both immediately and after a 1‐week delay. Little effect of delay was found, and the previous sorting task results failed to replicate. As predicted, high‐knowledge readers performed better on the open‐ended questions after reading the low‐coherence text. Reading times from both experiments indicated that the low‐coherence text requires more inference processes. Th.
Evaluating Adaptive Compression to Mitigate the Effects of Shared I/O in Clouds

IaaS clouds have become a promising platform for scalable distributed systems in recent years. However, while the virtualization techniques of such clouds are key to the cloud's elasticity, they also result in a reduced and less predictable I/O performance compared to traditional HPC setups. Besides the regular performance degradation of virtualized I/O itself, it is also the potential loss of I/O bandwidth through co-located virtual machines that imposes considerable obstacles for porting data-intensive applications to that platform. In this paper we examine adaptive compression schemes as a means to mitigate the negative effects of shared I/O in IaaS clouds. We discuss the decision models of existing schemes and analyze their applicability in virtualized environments. Based on an evaluation using XEN, KVM, and Amazon EC2, we found that most decision metrics (like CPU utilization and I/O bandwidth) are displayed inaccurately inside virtual machines and can lead to unreasonable levels of compression. As a remedy, we present a new adaptive compression scheme for virtualized environments which solely considers the application data rate. Without requiring any calibration or training phase our adaptive compression scheme can improve the I/O throughput of virtual machines significantly as shown through experimental evaluation.
Self-Adapted Testing

In self-adapted testing (SAT), examinees choose the difficulty of each item they attempt immediately before it is presented. In this article, I review the rationale for investigating SAT and research exploring the effects of SAT on ability estimates, precision and efficiency, mechanisms underlying the effects associated with SAT, and examinee reactions to SAT. Some of the research demonstrates that SAT leads to higher ability estimates than computerizedadaptive testing (CAT), whereas other research demonstrates no main effect of test administration mode but that SAT leads to ability estimates that are less influenced by extraneous attributes of the examinee (e.g., test anxiety). SAT is less efficient than CAT, but more efficient than fixed-item testing. Examinees strongly endorse the main elements of SAT.
An exploratory study of factors affecting undergraduate employability

Purpose – The current study was conducted to increase our understanding of factors that influence the employability of university graduates. Through the use of both qualitative and quantitative approaches, the paper explores the relative importance of 17 factors that influence new graduate employability.Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of the existing literature was used to identify 17 factors that affect new graduate employability. A two‐phase, mixed‐methods study was conducted to examine: Phase One, whether these 17 factors could be combined into five categories; and Phase Two, the relative importance that employers place on these factors. Phase One involved interviewing 30 employers, and Phase Two consisted of an empirical examination with an additional 115 employers.Findings – Results from both the qualitative and quantitative phases of the current study demonstrated that 17 employability factors can be clustered into five higher‐order composite categories. In addition, findings illus.
PostHat and All That : Attaining Most-Precise Inductive Invariants ⋆

In abstract interpretation, the choice of an abstract domain fixes a limit on the precision of the inductive invariants that one can express; however, for a given abstract domain A, there is a most-precise (“strongest”, “best”) inductiveA-invariant for each program. Many techniques have been developed in abstract interpretation for finding overapproximate solutions, but only a few algorithms have been given that can achieve the fundamental limits that abstract-interpretation theory establishes. In this paper, we present an algorithm that solves the following problem: Given program P , an abstract domain A, and access to an SMT solver, find the most-precise inductive A-invariant for P .
The effects of categorization and prototypicality on aesthetic choice in a furniture selection task.

Recent research into perceptual categorization has demonstrated that successful classification depends upon the matching of a stimulus input with a prototype representing the appropriate category. The suggestion that aesthetic responses to stimuli are mediated by the categorization process was investigated in two furniture selection tasks. In the first experiment subjects were requested to select items of furniture from a display similar to those in a set, while preference selections were obtained in the second experiment. The sets comprised items in one of three styles — Modern, Georgian or Art Nouveau — with the display made up of examples of all three. The first experiment examined the reliability of classification for the styles selected, with results indicating the existence of two distinguishable categories, represented by the Modern and Georgian sets. Further, the Georgian and Art Nouveau sets appeared to belong to a broader category, in which the Georgian items were more prototypic, that is, were better examples of this category. The results of Expt. 2 showed a marked parallelism with the data from the similarity task and supported the hypothesis that aesthetic choice reflects categorization and prototypicality.
The Parenting Scale: A measure of dysfunctional parenting in discipline situations.

A rating scale was designed to measure dysfunctional discipline practices in parents of young children. Three stable factors of dysfunctional discipline style were identified: (a) Laxness, (b) Overreactivity, and (c) Verbosity. The Parenting Scale exhibited adequate internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Mothers of clinic children reported more dysfunctional parenting than did mothers of nonclinic children. Parenting Scale scores were related to maternal ratings of child behavior and marital discord. Most important, Parenting Scale scores correlated significantly with observational measures of dysfunctional discipline and child misbehavior.
Relationship matters in demantia caregiving

This study examined the relationship between four framing categories of caregiving (Relational, Instrumental, Reactive, Role Acquiring), derived from interviews with spouse caregivers, and scores on standardized measures of responses to and outcomes of caregiving. Participants were 132 spouses recruited into a larger intervention study of family caregivers of communitydwelling persons with dementia. Qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparative method; quantitative data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Findings demonstrated that relational spouses scored better than spouses in the other three categories, indicating greater positive well-being. Relational spouses also scored significantly lower than instrumental and reactive spouses on a composite caregiver distress measure (p = 0.003). These results suggest that interventions may need to be tailored to spouses with different caregiving perspectives.
Relationship of Autoantibodies to MDA-LDL and ApoB-Immune Complexes to Sex, Ethnicity, Subclinical Atherosclerosis, and Cardiovascular Events

Objective— Modifications of lipid constituents within atherosclerotic lesions generate neoepitopes that activate innate and adaptive immune responses. We aimed to define the prevalence, distribution, and relationship of autoantibody titers of oxidized lipoproteins to subclinical atherosclerosis and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in different ethnic groups. Approach and Results— IgG and IgM autoantibodies to malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) and apolipoprotein B-100-immune complexes were measured in 3509 individuals (1814 blacks, 1031 whites, 589 Hispanics, and 85 no race identifier) from the Dallas Heart Study with median 10.5-year follow-up. Coronary artery calcium score, abdominal aortic plaque by magnetic resonance imaging, and MACE were quantified. IgG MDA-LDL and IgG and IgM apolipoprotein B-100-immune complexes were significantly different between groups, with blacks having the highest levels of IgG MDA-LDL and IgG apolipoprotein B-100-immune complexes and Hispanics having the highest levels of IgM apolipoprotein B-100-immune complexes (P<0.001 for all). IgGs tended to be higher and IgMs lower with age for all markers. In multivariable-adjusted binary logistic regression analysis, a doubling of IgG MDA-LDL levels was associated with prevalent coronary artery calcium score >10 Agatston units (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.21 [1.07–1.36]; P=0.002). Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analysis revealed that IgG MDA-LDL was independently associated with time to incident MACE in the entire group (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.76 [1.16–2.72]; P=0.009 for fourth versus first quartile). This effect was particularly prominent in black subjects (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 2.52 [1.39–4.57]; P=0.002). Conclusions— Autoantibodies to oxidized lipoproteins and immune complexes with apoB-100 lipoproteins vary significantly by sex, age, and ethnicity. Higher baseline IgG MDA-LDL titers independently associate with new MACE. These findings may contribute to the understanding of differences in ethnic-specific MACE events.
Analysis of Multi-Server Queue With Spatial Generation and Location-Dependent Service Rate of Customers as a Cell Operation Model

A novel multi-server queue with heterogeneous customers is formulated and analyzed as the model of operation of a cell of a mobile communication network. We assume that the cell is divided into zones depending on signal quality. The type of a customer corresponds to a zone in which this customer is currently situated and the rate of the customer’s service depends on his/her type. During service, the customer may transit to another zone or terminate service (e.g., owing to poor service quality or departure from the cell). The stationary distribution of the system states and the key performance measures of the system are computed. Numerical results are presented.
Aquí No Se Habla Español: Stories of Linguistic Repression in Southwest Schools

Abstract For some Americans, the growing number of heritage language speakers in the United States signals a threat to the cultural fabric of U.S. society. For these individuals, English is the only language that is appropriate for the indoctrination of youth into our nation's social order. Recent events in the United States' political landscape, such as the passage of California's Proposition 227 and Arizona's Proposition 203, attest to the notion that schools remain one of the most ardent battlegrounds for the English language policy debate. Nonetheless, school-based language policy decisions have been made too hastily, often relying on rash assessments of public opinion or personal biases. What school language policymakers have failed to consider are the potential long-term consequences to the social, academic, or linguistic development of heritage language speakers these policies affect. In the present paper, several accounts of Spanish speakers whose heritage language clashed on school grounds are provided. The stark memories from their youth reveal that the establishment of formal or informal English-only policies at school, and the manner in which those policies were enforced, often did shape their personal, scholastic, and language development over time.
Advances in cystic fibrosis therapies

Purpose of review Over the past four decades, outcomes for patients with cystic fibrosis have improved dramatically. Major contributors to this improvement are a better understanding of disease pathogenesis and the systematic conduct of clinical trials evaluating new therapies designed to address these defects. This review describes recent developments in cystic fibrosis pulmonary therapies intended to treat various facets of the disease, including several treatments currently in development. Recent findings The mainstays of therapy for cystic fibrosis, such as nutritional support and mechanical mucus clearance, are now supplemented with aggressive antibiotic regimens intended to suppress or eradicate bacterial colonization, anti-inflammatory agents, and new approaches that improve mucociliary clearance. Therapies in development address the underlying ion transport defect found in cystic fibrosis airways and also include small-molecule agents that restore function to the mutant cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. Summary Recent advances in therapies for cystic fibrosis offer the promise of improved outcomes and longer lives for patients with cystic fibrosis.
ASSESSMENT OF INDIAN CARBON CYCLE COMPONENTS USING EARTH OBSERVATION SYSTEMS AND GROUND INVENTORY

Abstract. Improved national carbon assessments are important for UNFCC communications, policy studies and improving the global assessment. Use of EO for land cover dynamics, forest type, cover and phytomass carbon density, productivity and related soil carbon density and regional extrapolation of point flux measurements. A National Carbon Project (NCP) under the Indian Space Research Organisation - Geosphere Biosphere Programme (ISRO – GBP) aims at improving the understanding and quantification of net carbon balance. The NCP has been implemented with three major components – (A) vegetation carbon pools, (B) Soil carbon pools and (C) Soil and Vegetation – Atmosphere Fluxes. A total of 6500 field plot data from forests and trees outside forests have been collected. 1500 field plots have been inventoried for the soil carbon based on the remotely sensed data stratification. A nationwide network of carbon flux towers in different ecosystems for the measurement and modeling of the net carbon flux using eddy covariance techniques is being established and upscaling using satellite remote sensing data and modelling is under process. The amplitude of the diurnal variation in NEE increased with growth of wheat and reached its peak around the pre-anthesis stage. Besides, under NCP, satellite diurnal CO2 have also analyzed the data obtained from AIRS and SCIAMACHY over India and surrounding oceans and was correlated with surface fluxes. The CASA model simulations over India using NOAA AVHRR NDVI.
Inhibition of translation of transforming growth factor-beta 3 mRNA by its 5' untranslated region

We have cloned and sequenced the 5' untranslated region of the transforming growth factor-beta 3 (TGF-beta 3) mRNA as well as the adjacent genomic sequence. S1 nuclease analysis identified a single transcription start site. We have thus determined that the 5' untranslated region is about 1.1 kb long and contains 11 open reading frames. In vitro translation of the TGF-beta 3 precursor coding sequence was markedly inhibited by the presence of the 5' untranslated region. Similarly, when the 5' untranslated region of TGF-beta 3 was introduced upstream of the coding sequence of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, in vitro translation was inhibited. Furthermore, upon transfection into 293 cells, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression was inhibited by the 5' untranslated region of TGF-beta 3. The degree of translational inhibition was inversely proportional to the amount of transfected DNA. Mutation analysis implicated multiple segments of the 5' untranslated region as contributing to the inhibitory effect. Deletion of much of the 5'-most 640 nucleotides, including 8 of the 11 upstream ATGs, relieved much but not all of the inhibitory influence of the 5' untranslated region of TGF-beta 3 mRNA. The two upstream open reading frames closest to the initiator codon for the TGF-beta 3 coding sequence also decreased translational efficiency, since mutation of either ATG resulted in increased translation. Transfection results with T47-D cells, a cell line which expresses TGF-beta 3 mRNA, were similar to those obtained with the 293 cell line. Thus, TGF-beta 3 mRNA is a recent example of an expanding group of growth-related mRNAs in which the 5' untranslated region contains upstream open reading frames and other sequences which inhibit translation.
Engagement with alcohol marketing and early brand allegiance in relation to early years of drinking

This study aimed to examine the relationship between measures of awareness to marketing and drinking among a sample of young people in New Zealand. The sample consisted of 1302 males and 1236 females predominantly aged between 13 and 14 years and drawn from a number of schools in a metropolitan city. They were surveyed using a computer assisted telephone interview. Regression analyses examined relationships between marketing (awareness of and engagement with a range of alcohol marketing channels) and reports of brand allegiance and drinking status, drinking frequency and quantity and future drinking intentions. The results showed that awareness of each alcohol marketing channel increased the odds of being a drinker by 8%. Engagement with web-based marketing increased the odds of being a drinker by 98% while engagement with traditional marketing increased the odds by 51%. Brand allegiance increased the odds of being a drinker by 356% and increased the likelihood of non-drinkers reporting future drinking intentions (by 73%). Brand allegiance was also associated with more frequent alcohol consumption (1.65 times more drinking occasions per year) and 86% more alcohol consumed on a typical occasion. The results suggest that, while exposure to all forms of marketing are associated with drinking by young people, measures of more active engagement, such as owning merchandise and downloading screensavers are stronger predictors of drinking. Having established a brand allegiance, at this early age, was related to not only drinking and future intentions to drink but also drinking patterns including consuming larger quantities.
A unique combination of infrared and microwave radiation accelerates wound healing.

Light or electromagnetic radiation has been reported to enhance wound healing. The use of selected spectra, including infrared and microwave, has been described; however, no studies to date have examined the potential benefit of combining these spectra. In this study, a device that emits electromagnetic radiation across both the infrared and microwave ranges was used. To test the effects of this unique electromagnetic radiation spectrum on wound healing, two clinically relevant wound-healing models (i.e., tensile strength of simple incisions and survival of McFarlane flaps) were selected. After the creation of a simple full-thickness incision (n = 35 rats) or a caudally based McFarlane flap (n = 33 rats), animals were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: untreated control, infrared, or combined electromagnetic radiation. Treatment was administered for 30 minutes, twice daily for 18 days in animals with simple incisions, and 15 days in animals with McFarlane flaps. The wound area or flap was harvested and analyzed, blinded to the treatment regimens. A p value of less than 0.05 obtained by analysis of variance was considered to be statistically significant. Animals receiving combined electromagnetic radiation demonstrated increased tensile strength (2.62 N/mm2) compared with animals receiving infrared radiation (2.36 N/mm2) or untreated controls (1.73 N/mm2, p < 0.001). Animals with McFarlane flaps receiving combined electromagnetic radiation had increased flap survival (78.0 percent) compared with animals receiving infrared radiation (69.7 percent) and untreated controls (63.1 percent, p < 0.01). Thus, combined electromagnetic radiation provided a distinct advantage in wound healing that might augment current treatment regimens.
Aspects of a Psychology of the Tourist Experience

Although the literature on experience as such, as well as various concepts pertaining to specific experiences (such as for example landscape experiences or tourist experiences is quite large, this article maintains that some of these conceptions are too ambiguous. Therefore this paper presents a threefold idea of the phenomenon of the tourist experience. Based on a review of tourism literature and general psychological literature it is argued that experiences are influenced by expectancies and events and that they remain or are constructed in the individuals' memory, forming the basis for new preferences and expectancies. Such a cognitive approach to the concept of experience highlights the distinction between the tourist event and its precursors and effects. At the same time this approach highlights the importance of the experiencing subject in constructing a meaningful concept of tourist experiences.