Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Attitudinal Reactance: Another Response to Influence Attempts in Websites

Abstract The use of behavioural change systems in providing interventions for people is common in this present era of information technology. Many people depend on these systems for many reasons like safe driving, healthy food consumption, energy conservation, etc. Some of these systems have been successful in making people change positively while a larger percentage have not been successful due to many issues that were not addressed during the development of such systems. One of them is psychological reactance, a motivational state that is aroused when a person’s freedom is threatened or eliminated. It has major focus restoring any freedom that has been threatened. This forms the motivation for this work and it starts with a brief study of the theory of psychological reactance with a new view of accessing it from perceived usability perspective. To study reactance in people, a survey was conducted. It focussed on accessing reactance through attitudes to forced compliance in a persuasive website in the context of meal-planning. Results from this study showed that participants with high freedom text had better attitude to the website in terms of anger and perceived usability than participants with low-freedom text. This work confirmed the social agency proposition that the presence of social cues in a multimedia message can stimulate the social interaction pattern in people’s learning. Once this social interaction pattern is initiated, there is a high possibility for pupils to act as if they are interacting with another individual. Therefore, to some degree, social convention of human-to-human interaction sets in as participants with high freedom message had a lower anger score than participants with high freedom plus social message.
A case study on exploring the motivation and engagement of the less academically inclined students in a specialised school in Singapore

Background: The case study school (CS School) a specialised secondary school that has small class sizes of 20 students, selected teaching staff and a curriculum with 40% devoted to character education and 60% to literacy-numeracy and vocational subjects. Aim: To what extent are cognitive behavioural changes used to negotiate environmental demands for academic engagement after three to four years of CS School schooling. Samples: 152 enrolled freshmen (at entry-point) and 134 graduating students (at exit-point); 11 class teachers from each student cohort (n=22). Method: Using a predominantly quantitative approach, students answered the MES-HS instrument that measured the motivation and engagement factors, and Academic Buoyancy questionnaire that measured daily academic coping. Class teachers answered the Teachers’ perceptions of student motivation and engagement and Teachers’ enjoyment of teaching questionnaires. Data from students’ and teachers’ surveys were correlated with graduating students’ Youth EQi: YV™ scale scores (exit-point & entry-point data). Results: No significant difference between freshmen versus graduating students on motivation and engagement factors and academic coping scale. Class teachers indicated that their graduating students were significantly more self-efficacious than class teachers of freshmen. The boys coped significantly better than girls. Students with repeated failure at a high-stakes examination were significantly more stressed and scored significantly lower on EQi adaptability and general mood scales than students who failed the examination once. EQi scale item of stress management was correlated positively to mastery orientation at learning and negatively to uncertainty control, self-handicapping and disengagement; intrapersonal scale was reciprocally correlated to uncertainty control; adaptability, general mood and interpersonal scales were positively correlated to self-belief, valuing school, mastery orientation and time/task management. Students’ mastery orientation at learning, persistence and avoiding failure scores were correlated with teachers’ enjoyment of teaching. Subtle layers of differentiated motivation and engagement scores contextualised by the different ethnic groups were noted. Conclusion: Students’ success at controlling stress correlated with EQi adaptability, general mood and interpersonal scales that were associated with self-efficacy, valuing school, mastery orientation in learning focus and time management. A model of motivating the less academically inclined students to being engaged with schooling following a temporal learning process of sustained stress control and classroom engagement is proposed.
Analysis and design of discrete normals and curvatures

Accurate estimations of geometric properties of a surface (a curve) from its discrete approximation are important for many computer graphics and computer vision applications. To assess and improve the quality of such an approximation we assume that the smooth surface (curve) is known in general form. Then we can represent the surface (curve) by a Taylor series expansion and compare its geometric properties with the corresponding discrete approximations. In turn we can either prove convergence of these approximations towards the true properties as the edge lengths tend to zero, or we can get hints how to eliminate the error. In this report we propose and study discrete schemes for estimating the curvature and torsion of a smooth 3D curve approximated by a polyline. Thereby we make some interesting findings about connections between (smooth) classical curves and certain estimation schemes for polylines. Furthermore, we consider several popular schemes for estimating the surface normal of a dense triangle mesh interpolating a smooth surface, and analyze their asymptotic properties. Special attention is paid to the mean curvature vector, that approximates both, normal direction and mean curvature. We evaluate a common discrete approximation and show how asymptotic analysis can be used to improve it. It turns out that the integral formulation of the mean curvature
Color Versus Form: Which Matters More in Children's Preferences of Package Design?

ABSTRACT This research investigates the effects of age and gender on children's color-form preference of package design. With two datasets from China and the U.S., we also explore cultural differences. Two separate 2 (color) x 2 (form) experimental surveys were conducted among 837 and 761 children of age 3–12 from China and the U.S., respectively. The results reveal that Chinese and U.S. children share the same tendency of switching from color to form with the increase in age. Nevertheless, gender effect and age-gender interaction are found in the Chinese sample only. More Chinese boys than girls show preference by color. The difference in the color-form package preference between Chinese younger girls and older girls is significantly greater than that of boys.
Automated derivation of stellar atmospheric parameters and chemical abundances: the MATISSE algorithm

We present an automated procedure for the derivation of atmospheric parameters (T eff , log g, [M/H]) and individual chemical abundances from stellar spectra. The MATrix Inversion for Spectral SynthEsis (MATISSE) algorithm determines a basis, B θ (λ), allowing the derivation of a particular stellar parameter θ by projection of an observed spectrum. The Be(>.) function is determined from an optimal linear combination of theoretical spectra and it relates, in a quantitative way, the variations in the spectrum flux with variations in 6. An application of this method to the Gaia Radial Velocity Spectrograph spectral range is described, together with its performances for different types of stars of various metallicities. Blind tests with synthetic spectra of randomly selected parameters and observed input spectra are also presented. The method gives rapid, accurate and stable results and it can be efficiently applied to the study of stellar populations through the analysis of large spectral data sets, including moderate to low signal-to-noise ratio spectra.
A Supervised Goal Directed Algorithm in Economical Choice Behaviour: An Actor-Critic Approach

This paper aims to find an algorithmic structure that affords to predict and explain economical choice behaviour particularly under uncertainty(random policies) by manipulating the prevalent Actor-Critic learning method to comply with the requirements we have been entrusted ever since the field of neuroeconomics dawned on us. Whilst skimming some basics of neuroeconomics that seem relevant to our discussion, we will try to outline some of the important works which have so far been done to simulate choice making processes. Concerning neurological findings that suggest the existence of two specific functions that are executed through Basal Ganglia all the way up to sub- cortical areas, namely 'rewards' and 'beliefs', we will offer a modified version of actor/critic algorithm to shed a light on the relation between these functions and most importantly resolve what is referred to as a challenge for actor-critic algorithms, that is, the lack of inheritance or hierarchy which avoids the system being evolved in continuous time tasks whence the convergence might not be emerged.
Corporate Culture and Innovation: Implications for Reward Systems

Continuous innovation is becoming a necessity if firms want to stay competitive. Different factors influence the rate of innovation in a firm, among which corporate culture has often been recognized among the most important factors. In this paper we argue that the development of corporate culture that will support and foster innovation must be accompanied with an appropriate reward system. A research conducted among Croatian firms showed that a statistically significant relationship exists among corporate culture that supports innovations and reward system features. Keywords—Corporate culture, innovation, reward systems, Croatia.
Models and algorithms of optimal structure synthesis of infocommunication network with specified parameters

The article considers the issues of the synthesis of the infocommunication network on the basis of its existing segments by introducing new elements, the modernization or elimination of existing ones. In this regard, there is a task to build a network corresponding to the specified parameters. The solution of the synthesis problem is based on the development of models and algorithms for the generation of alternative networks, the numerical evaluation of their performance indicators and choosing the best option. Generation involves the combination of a priori given modernization options of individual communication channels, introducing new ones or refusing to use existing ones. The choice of the optimal variant is carried out using the models of the Boolean linear programming. The proposed algorithm takes into account the features of the task and its dimension. It is based on the use of the branch and bound scheme.
Regulation of Ion Channel Expression

Abstract— A potentially important mechanism controlling ion channel expression is homeostatic regulation, which can act to maintain a stable electrophysiological phenotype in cardiac myocytes as well as to provide plasticity in response to genetic, pathological, or pharmacological insults. The capabilities and limitations of the homeostatic regulatory mechanisms that contribute to the control of cardiac ion channel expression are the primary topic of this review.
Prinzipien für die Genuszuweisung im Deutschen

In dem Beitrag wird gegen die Arbitraritatsthese bei der Genuszuweisung im Deutschen argumentiert. Es wird davon ausgegangen, das das Genus durch phonologische, morphologische und semantische Prinzipien motiviert wird. Solche Prinzipien werden exemplarisch vorgestellt. Es wird auch der Nachweis erbracht, das die Kategorie Genus semantisch-pragmatisch zum Transport von Bedeutungen ausgenutzt wird. Schlieslich wird in dem Beitrag der Versuch unternommen, das Motivationsniveau fur die Genuszuweisung im gesamten nominalen Lexikon zu bestimmen. Zu diesem Zweck wird auf den Begriff „Entropie” zuruckgegriffen. Es stellt sich heraus, das der ermittelte Entropiewert fur das Gesamtsystem niedrig ist; d.h. , das der Grad der Ungewisheit fur die Genuszuweisung im Deutschen insgesamt nur schwach ausgepragt ist. Abschliesend wird der Grad der Motiviertheit des Genussystems im Deutschen mit anderen nominalen Klassifikationssystemen und deren Motivierungsgrad verglichen.
Factors Influencing the Quality of Social Support Messages Produced Online: The Role of Responsibility for Distress and Others’ Support Attempts

Brunswik’s lens model was used as a guide to investigate the conditions under which people produce more and less effective support messages online. An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of identity cues concerning a support seeker’s responsibility for his or her distress and behavioral residue involving other online community members’ responses to the support seeker. Participants evaluated the support seeker more negatively, produced support messages containing lower levels of person-centeredness, and used fewer politeness strategies when the support seeker was more responsible for his or her distress than when the seeker was less responsible. These effects tended to be intensified when the quality of support from other community members was congruent with seeker responsibility compared with when others’ support and seeker responsibility were incongruent.
Popular versus Elite Democracies and Human Rights: Inclusion Makes a Difference

Scholarly research generally finds that democratic governments are more likely to respect human rights than other types of regimes. Different human rights practices among long-standing and affluent democracies therefore present a puzzle. Drawing from democratic theory and comparative institutional studies, we argue more inclusive or “popular” democracies should enforce human rights better than more exclusive or “elite” democracies, even in the face of security threats from armed conflict. Instead of relying on the Freedom House or Polity indexes to distinguish levels of democracy, we adopt a more focused approach to measuring structures of inclusion, the Institutional Democracy Index (IDI), which captures meaningful differences in how electoral and other institutions channel popular influence over policy-making. Analyzing levels of physical integrity rights through a time-series cross-sectional research design of 49 established democracies, supplemented by structured case comparisons, reveals a significant and robust relationship between more inclusive democratic institutions and better respect for human rights.
Reality-based 3D modeling of heritage sites and objects

Nowadays 3D virtual models of heritage sites and objects are very much requested and required in many applications, like the digital documentation and conservation, virtual restoration, physical replicas, visualization and animation, etc. This paper, after a brief review of the currently available reality-based techniques to digitally reconstruct objects and sites, addresses the issue of data processing and integration as well as automation in 3D modeling. Finally examples from heritage sites and objects will be reported and discussed.
Nasal saline for chronic sinonasal symptoms: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To determine if isotonic sodium chloride (hereinafter "saline") nasal irrigations performed with large volume and delivered with low positive pressure are more effective than saline sprays at improving quality of life and decreasing medication use. DESIGN A prospective, randomized controlled trial. SETTING Community. PARTICIPANTS A total of 127 adults with chronic nasal and sinus symptoms. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomly assigned to irrigation performed with large volume and delivered with low positive pressure (n = 64) or spray (n = 63) for 8 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Change in symptom severity measured by mean 20-Item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20) score; change in symptom frequency measured with a global question; and change in medication use. RESULTS A total of 121 patients were evaluable. The irrigation group achieved lower SNOT-20 scores than the spray group at all 3 time points: 4.4 points lower at 2 weeks (P = .02); 8.2 points lower at 4 weeks (P < .001); and 6.4 points lower at 8 weeks (P = .002). When symptom frequency was analyzed, 40% of subjects in the irrigation group reported symptoms "often or always" at 8 weeks compared with 61% in the spray group (absolute risk reduction, 0.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.38 (P = .01). No significant differences in sinus medication use were seen between groups. CONCLUSION Nasal irrigations performed with large volume and delivered with low positive pressure are more effective than saline sprays for treatment of chronic nasal and sinus symptoms in a community-based population.
An autonomic multiagent system ontology-based for management of security of information

Computational security has become a worry among corporations. Indeed, the use if specific tools, procedures and policies that cover requirements to keep computation and IT infrastructure protected of malicious agents has been proved necessary. In order to address the problem of protecting computational resources, in this work we propose an autonomic model called AutoCore, constituted by a muilt-agent system, an intelligent interface (CoreEditor) and a formal ontologies (CoreSec). This proposal has been implemented, tested and validated in real scenarios to assist the safety activities and to minimize the administrator complexity.
ON TWO SIMPLE CRITERIA FOR RECOGNIZING COMPLETE INTERSECTIONS IN CODIMENSION 2

Developing a previous idea of Faltings, we characterize the complete intersections of codimension 2 in P n , n ≥ 3, over an algebraically closed field of any characteristic, among l.c. i. X, as those that are subcanonical and scheme-theoretically defined by p ≤ n − 1 equations. Moreover, we give some other results assuming that the normal bundle of X extends to a numerically split bundle on P n and p ≤ n. Finally, using our characterization, we give a (partial) answer to a question posed recently by Franco, Kleiman and Lascu ([5]) on self-linking and complete intersections in positive characteristic.
A Genetic Algorithm for Routing in WDM Optical Networks with Power Considerations Part I: The Unicast Case

Routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) is an important pro blem that arises in wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical networks. Previ ous studies have solved many variations of this problem under the assumption of perfect c onditions regarding the power of a signal. In this paper, we investigate this problem while al owing for degradation of routed signals by components such as taps, multiplexers, switchin g elements, fiber links, etc. It is assumed that inline optical amplifiers are preplaced on indi vidual fiber links at the physical design stage. We investigate the problem of routing the maxi um number of connections while maintaining proper power levels. The problem is formu lated as a mixed-integer nonlinear program. To overcome the complexity of the problem, w e divide the problem into two parts. First, we solve the pure RWA problem using fixed routes for every connection. Second, power assignment is accomplished by either using the smalle st-gain first (SGF) heuristic or using a genetic algorithm. Numerical examples on a wide vari ety of networks show that (a) the number of connections established without considering the signal attenuation was most of the time greater than that achievable while considering the power and (b) given adequate time, the genetic solution quality was much better than that of SGF , especially when the conflict graph of the connections generated by the linear solver is de n er.
The RanGTP Pathway: From Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Transport to Spindle Assembly and Beyond

The small GTPase Ran regulates the interaction of transport receptors with a number of cellular cargo proteins. The high affinity binding of the GTP-bound form of Ran to import receptors promotes cargo release, whereas its binding to export receptors stabilizes their interaction with the cargo. This basic mechanism linked to the asymmetric distribution of the two nucleotide-bound forms of Ran between the nucleus and the cytoplasm generates a switch like mechanism controlling nucleo-cytoplasmic transport. Since 1999, we have known that after nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) Ran and the above transport receptors also provide a local control over the activity of factors driving spindle assembly and regulating other aspects of cell division. The identification and functional characterization of RanGTP mitotic targets is providing novel insights into mechanisms essential for cell division. Here we review our current knowledge on the RanGTP system and its regulation and we focus on the recent advances made through the characterization of its mitotic targets. We then briefly review the novel functions of the pathway that were recently described. Altogether, the RanGTP system has moonlighting functions exerting a spatial control over protein interactions that drive specific functions depending on the cellular context.
Surface Coverage in Sensor Networks

Coverage is a fundamental problem in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Conventional studies on this topic focus on 2D ideal plane coverage and 3D full space coverage. The 3D surface of a field of interest (FoI) is complex in many real-world applications. However, existing coverage studies do not produce practical results. In this paper, we propose a new coverage model called surface coverage. In surface coverage, the field of interest is a complex surface in 3D space and sensors can be deployed only on the surface. We show that existing 2D plane coverage is merely a special case of surface coverage. Simulations point out that existing sensor deployment schemes for a 2D plane cannot be directly applied to surface coverage cases. Thus, we target two problems assuming cases of surface coverage to be true. One, under stochastic deployment, what is the expected coverage ratio when a number of sensors are adopted? Two, if sensor deployment can be planned, what is the optimal deployment strategy with guaranteed full coverage with the least number of sensors? We show that the latter problem is NP-complete and propose three approximation algorithms. We further prove that these algorithms have a provable approximation ratio. We also conduct extensive simulations to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms.