Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New times demand new scholarship

This article summarizes discussions held by 23 scholars from research universities in the USA, who are committed to civic and community engaged scholarship and working to advance this work on their campuses and in their communities. This meeting was second in a series first convened by Campus Compact and Tufts University to advance civic engagement within research institutions. This statement, endorsed by the entire group, focuses on opportunities and challenges in four critical areas: engaged scholarship; scholarship focused on civic and community engagement; educating students for civic and community engagement; institutionalization. It identifies challenges to establishing and sustaining engaged scholarship presented by research university contexts, and offers a vision for fully engaged institutions, calling on colleagues to embrace this vision and work to bring it about.
Efficient Optimization for Average Precision SVM

The accuracy of information retrieval systems is often measured using average precision (AP). Given a set of positive (relevant) and negative (non-relevant) samples, the parameters of a retrieval system can be estimated using the AP-SVM framework, which minimizes a regularized convex upper bound on the empirical AP loss. However, the high computational complexity of loss-augmented inference, which is required for learning an AP-SVM, prohibits its use with large training datasets. To alleviate this deficiency, we propose three complementary approaches. The first approach guarantees an asymptotic decrease in the computational complexity of loss-augmented inference by exploiting the problem structure. The second approach takes advantage of the fact that we do not require a full ranking during loss-augmented inference. This helps us to avoid the expensive step of sorting the negative samples according to their individual scores. The third approach approximates the AP loss over all samples by the AP loss over difficult samples (for example, those that are incorrectly classified by a binary SVM), while ensuring the correct classification of the remaining samples. Using the PASCAL VOC action classification and object detection datasets, we show that our approaches provide significant speed-ups during training without degrading the test accuracy of AP-SVM.
Stochastic generation and forecasting of monthly hydrometeorological data based on non-traditional neural network

The benefits of well-informed water management systems are related to the forecasting skills of hydrological variables. These benefits can be reflected in reducing economic and social losses to come. Therefore, the optimal design of water management projects frequently involves finding the methods or techniques that generate long sequences of hydrological data. These sequences considered as time series can be used to analyze and optimize the performance of the project designed. In order to cover these requirements, this work presents a new model of the stochastic process applied in problems that involve phenomena of stochastic behavior and periodic characteristics. Two components were used, the first one, a type of recurrent neural network relatively recent introduced in the literature and conceptually simple called ESN (echo state network) as the deterministic component, an interesting feature of ESN is that from certain algebraic properties, training only the output of the network is often sufficient to achieve excellent performance in practical applications. The second part of the model incorporates the uncertainty associated with hydrological processes, the model is finally called ESN-RNN. This model was calibrated with time series of monthly discharge data from four different river basins of MOPEX data set. The performance of ESN-RNN is compared with two feedforward neural networks ANN-1, ANN-2 (with one and two past months respectively) and the Thomas-Fiering model. The results show that the ESN-RNN model provides a promising alternative for simulation purposes, with interesting potential in the context of hydrometeorological resources.
Poor, Black, Learning Disabled, and Graduating

This qualitative investigation examines factors and processes associated with high school graduation in a high-risk urban context. Participants include 11 graduating seniors with learning disabilities, all of whom are African American from low-income backgrounds. These youth are interviewed on multiple occasions to determine how protective factors and processes contribute to their school persistence. Case studies of these youth indicate that there are a number of important factors and processes that they believe contributed to their ability to complete high school in an environment where approximately 80% of youth fail to complete school with their incoming freshman class. Broad themes associated with school persistence among these youth include individual, family, peer, and teacher factors. Specific processes underlying these themes are examined, and the implications of these findings for teachers and other school professionals are discussed.
Educational support groups for male caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease

Individuals with Alzheimer 's disease are often caredfor at home by informal caregivers. Males make up one-quarter of these caregivers, yet little attention has been given to them as family care providers. The results of a focus group of male caregivers are used to develop a time-limited, educational support group for males. This article reviews the current literature on male caregivers and support groups, and describes the authors' experiences as co-leaders of a support group for male caregivers. Topic areas for each of the individual sessions are outlined. At the completion of the group sessions, the male caregivers evaluated the group process andformat. They suggested that an experienced male caregiver be present to serve as a role model and that more time be given for sharing their emotional reactions to caregiving.
Food risk and knowledge in the satisfaction‐repurchase loyalty relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test the relationships among perceived risk, consumer satisfaction and repurchase loyalty, and to explore the moderating role of knowledge on the relationship between these constructs.Design/methodology/approach – The results are based on a cross‐section sample of 846 households in Vietnam using self‐administrating questionnaires, with fish as a main research object, and analyzed using structural equation modelling.Findings – The relationship between perceived risk and satisfaction is negative and satisfaction has a significantly positive effect on repurchase loyalty. This study suggests that perceived risk has an indirect effect on repurchase loyalty through satisfaction. Besides direct effects on perceived risk and satisfaction, knowledge proves to moderate negatively both the relationship between perceived risk and satisfaction, and the relationship between satisfaction and repurchase loyalty.Research limitations/implications – This study mainly focuses on fish.
Data linkage between the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to assess workplace physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and emotional stressors during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND Knowledge of the prevalence of work-related physical activities, sedentary behaviors, and emotional stressors among pregnant women is limited, and the extent to which these exposures vary by maternal characteristics remains unclear. METHODS Data on mothers of 6,817 infants without major birth defects, with estimated delivery during 1997 through 2009 who worked during pregnancy were obtained from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Information on multiple domains of occupational exposures was gathered by linking mother's primary job to the Occupational Information Network Version 9.0. RESULTS The most frequent estimated physical activity associated with jobs during pregnancy was standing. Of 6,337 mothers, 31.0% reported jobs associated with standing for ≥75% of their time. There was significant variability in estimated occupational exposures by maternal age, race/ethnicity, and educational level. CONCLUSIONS Our findings augment existing literature on occupational physical activities, sedentary behaviors, emotional stressors, and occupational health disparities during pregnancy.
Modeling Nuclear Properties with Support Vector Machines

We have made initial studies of the potential of support vector machines (SVM) for providing statistical models of nuclear systematics with demonstrable predictive power. Using SVM regression and classification procedures, we have created global models of atomic masses, beta-decay halflives, and ground-state spins and parities. These models exhibit performance in both data-fitting and prediction that is comparable to that of the best global models from nuclear phenomenology and microscopic theory, as well as the best statistical models based on multilayer feedforward neural networks.
Britain as an Awkward Partner: Reassessing Britain's Relations with the EU

This article attempts to do two things. It begins by asserting that there is something that can be called the Awkward Partner thesis, and that this is the dominant academic interpretation of Britain's relations with the European Union. The article then goes on to critically assess this thesis. Particular attention is paid to the concept of awkwardness, and an attempt is made to question its usefulness and validity. The article then goes on to question the underlying argument of the thesis that Britain's persistent awkwardness is a result of peculiar domestic political institutions and structures.
Long-term effectiveness of mass media led antismoking campaigns in Australia.

A community antismoking campaign began in Sydney, Australia in 1983, and in Melbourne in 1984. These campaigns purchased prime-time television advertising spots to set the community agenda. An intense effort was made to ensure that antismoking activities were maximized at the school, organizational, and community level. Smoking prevalences in both cities from 1981 were fitted with a statistical model to identify any underlying trend, to assess any immediate impact, and to assess the longer term effect of continuing to conduct such campaigns, i.e. to identify any change in the underlying trend. During the years before the antismoking campaigns, there was no observable trend in smoking prevalence in either city. At the beginning of the campaigns, there was an immediate drop of more than two percentage points in male and female smoking prevalence in both cities. Thereafter, a decline of about 1.5 percentage points per year was observed among males. No post campaign trend was observed in smoking prevalence for women in either city. These data support conducting coordinated community campaigns to reduce current smoking prevalence.
Practice, rehearsal, and performance: an approach for simulation-based surgical and procedure training.

SURGEONS, LIKE MUSICIANS, CAN BE CONSIDERED PERformers. Traditionally, surgeons have learned their craft through a prolonged apprenticeship that allows trainees to gain a wide repertoire of skills by assisting at and performing numerous operations. Supervision was tailored to each surgeon’s level of experience and the demands of the procedure. Surgeons learned how to cope with a wide range of problems and complications by repeated practice located within the performance of actual operations. Dexterity was central to the process of learning a broad range of procedures. However, equally important were other skills that accrued with increasing experience: teamwork, leadership, communication, clinical judgment, and decision making. Unlike technical expertise, these qualities are most evident when coping with problems and dealing with the unexpected. The extended nature of surgical training, coupled with specific planning, ensured that trainees were exposed to a sufficient range of eventualities. The landscape of contemporary surgery is different. Demands for patient throughput are increasing, while reductions in work hours mean that trainees’ opportunities for hands-on interventional experience have been curtailed. Continual technological innovation applies relentless pressure to learn new techniques, and ethical imperatives support safer approaches to initial learning, such as simulation. Complex interventional procedures increasingly are being performed by physicians from many specialties, including surgery, cardiology, and radiology.
Improvement of 2-D DOA estimation with tapered Matrix Pencil algorithm

A new method for improvement of 2-D DOA estimation based on Matrix Pencil (MP) Method is presented. We show that with Tapering of the data matrix, the accuracy of azimuth and elevation estimation can be improved. The method directly applied to the algorithm and only with one snapshot of data, DOA can be estimated. The simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Central Functions of Amino Acids for the Stress Response in Chicks

The nutritional significance of essential amino acids, as well as non-essential amino acids, is well documented in poultry production with regards to growth performance and protein accretion. However, the function of amino acids in the stress response is still unclear. L-Pipecolic acid, a L-lysine metabolite in the brain, induced a hypnotic and sedative effect acting via the γ-aminobutyric acid receptors. L-Arginine also induced a sedative effect via its metabolism to L-ornithine. In addition, three-carbon non-essential amino acids like L-alanine, L-serine and L-cysteine also induced sedative effects. These facts suggest that the requirement for amino acids in both essential and non-essential types may require reconsideration to add the concept of stress amelioration in the future.
Rolling Mechanical Imaging for Tissue Abnormality Localization During Minimally Invasive Surgery

We describe a novel approach for the localization of tissue abnormalities during minimally invasive surgery using a force-sensitive wheeled probe. The concept is to fuse the kinaesthetic information from the wheel-tissue rolling interaction into a pseudocolor rolling mechanical image (RMI) to visualize the spatial variation of stiffness within the internal tissue structure. Since tissue abnormalities are often firmer than the surrounding organ or parenchyma, a surgeon then can localize abnormalities by analyzing the image. Initially, a testing facility for validating the concept in an ex vivo setting was developed and used to investigate rolling ¿wheel-tissue¿ interaction. A silicone soft-tissue phantom with embedded hard nodules was constructed to allow for experimental comparison between an RMI and a known soft-tissue structure. Tests have also been performed on excised porcine organs to show the efficacy of the method when applied to biological soft tissues. Results indicate that the RMI technique is particularly suited to identifying the stiffness distribution within a tissue sample, as the continuous force measurement along a given rolling trajectory provides repeatable information regarding relative variations in the normal tissue response. When compared to multiple discrete uniaxial indentations, the continuous measurement approach of RMI is shown to be more sensitive and facilitates coverage of a large area in a short period of time. Furthermore, if parametric classification of tissue properties based on a uniaxial tissue indentation model is desirable, the rolling indentation probe can be easily employed as a uniaxial indenter.
Performance study of the minimax robust phased array for wireless communications

In this paper, new robust M-estimation techniques are developed for combating impulsive noise and multiple-access interference in communication systems. Power functions of the proposed robust estimators are obtained by minimizing a nonquadratic residual function derived from the Huber's minimax robust estimation theory. Maximum peaks of these power functions are used for estimation of communication signals as well as direction of arrival. A strong advantage of the proposed robust M-estimation algorithms is a decreased sensitivity of the estimates with respect to an actual unknown distribution of random noises and interferences. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed robust algorithms, the robust median, and robust Huber estimators, offer significant performance gain over the conventional and minimum-variance distortionless-response estimators, with the best results given by the robust Huber estimator.
Assessment of virus removal by managed aquifer recharge at three full-scale operations

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems such as riverbank filtration and soil-aquifer treatment all involve the use of natural subsurface systems to improve the quality of recharged water (i.e. surface water, stormwater, reclaimed water) before reuse. During MAR, water is either infiltrated via basins, subsurface injected or abstracted from wells adjacent to rivers. The goal of this study was to assess the removal of selected enteric viruses and a potential surrogate for virus removal at three full-scale MAR systems located in different regions of the United States (Arizona, Colorado, and California). Samples of source water (i.e., river water receiving treated wastewater and reclaimed water) before recharge and recovered groundwater at all three sites were tested for adenoviruses, enteroviruses, Aichi viruses and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Samples of groundwater positive for any virus were also tested for the presence of infectious virus by cell culture. PMMoV was the most commonly detected virus in the groundwater samples. Infectious enteric viruses (reovirus) were only detected in one groundwater sample with a subsurface residence time of 5 days. The results suggested that in groundwater with a residence time of greater than 14 days all of the viruses are removed below detection indicating a 1 to greater than 5 log removal depending upon the type of virus. Given its behavior, PMMoV may be suitable to serve as a conservative tracer of enteric virus removal in managed aquifer treatment systems.
Stability based Route Repairing Algorithm for Ad Hoc On- Demand Distance Vector Routing

AODV On-demand routing protocol is widely deployed in Ad Hoc networks, but it has some drawbacks. This paper proposes to modify the AODV protocol called AODVSRR algorithm. By calculating the route stability process to the RREQ message and the route repair mechanism to the RREQ message, the new protocol not only reduces the packet loss rate and the end-to-end latency, but also enhances the utilization rate of the network resources. Finally, we analyze the performance through simulation.
Design and evaluation of pactors for managing attention capture

In this paper, we present the design of a low-cost haptic actuator called a pactor that is capable of delivering tactile stimuli eliciting varying levels of attention capture. The pactor design consists of a crankshaft mechanism attached to an RC servo that produces a linear displacement at the endpoint. It can apply a 0-2.0cm displacement to the human body at a variety of actuation rates. We conducted a study to measure the displacement detection threshold for the pactors, and their perceived level of attention capture and urgency. In our study with 25 participants we found that actuation speed was the most significant factor affecting detection threshold. We also observed that the level of attention capture was dependent on both actuation speed and stimulus intensity. We propose that dynamic range of actuation speed and stimulus magnitude are important design parameters that enable actuators to achieve variable attention capture (VAC). This in turn will allow actuators to provide better opportunities to present information at an appropriate level of attentional salience.
Constructing a Knowledge Base for Software Security Detection Based on Similar Call Graph

Software structure is very important for software security. But it is very difficult to obtain software structure by software execution trace. In this paper, by researching system call sequences in the process of software execution, similar call graph is proposed. We present how to generate similar call graph by observed system call sequences. Based on this, a knowledge base for software security detection is constructed. Experiments show false alarm rate can be decreased effectively by the knowledge base and detection rate is higher by using appropriate threshold.
Developing sustainable development within the higher education curriculum: observations on the HEFCE strategic review

This paper explores a particular contemporary instance of the implementation of central government policy linking higher education and sustainable development. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)’s strategic plan for 2006–2011 (HEFCE 2006) includes a commitment to establish a baseline assessment of the contribution of the higher education sector to sustainable development by 2008 and to make progress in this respect by 2011. Research in respect of teaching/learning commissioned and conducted in consequence is reported.
Achievement Goals, Self-Handicapping, and Performance Attainment: A Mediational Analysis

The present experiment was designed to examine the mediational role of self-handicapping in the relationship between achievement goals and performance on a sport-based activity (i.e., a basketball dribbling task). The achievement goals of the trichotomous achievement goal framework were manipulated, behavioral and self-reported self-handicapping opportunities were provided, and performance attainment was assessed. Performance-avoidance goals led to worse performance and evoked higher levels of behavioral and self-reported self-handicapping than performance-approach and mastery goals. Both forms of self-handicapping were found to have independent mediational effects on decreased performance. Implications for the adoption of achievement goals and the use of self-handicapping strategies are discussed.
On the CRB for frequency estimation of superimposed multidimensional sinusoids

The Cramér-Rao bound (CRB) is derived for frequency estimation of the superposition of multidimensional complex sinusoids assuming the complex gains are known. The Fisher information matrix is derived in terms of the Dirichlet kernel, a kernel well-known for its use in Fourier series. In general, it is shown that the frequency estimation error variance for a particular sinusoid can be lower bounded by its isolated (single) multidimensional sinusoid CRB times a scaling factor that is dependent on its frequency separation from each sinusoid.