Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards Formative Assessment of e-Learners Using Concept Map

The intention of this research was to automate the process of formative assessment of e-learners using concept map (CM). Formative assessment assesses the learners during the learning process and further modifies the current teaching process to improve the learner’s outcome. It is specifically aimed at generating a performance feedback to improvise and accelerate learning. Formative assessment of the learners on the topics being taught is essential in an e-learning environment. Based on the learner’s learning, the e-learning system can change / update the pedagogy, recommendations can be made for further study, and the learners’ performance can be evaluated. In this paper, we propose CM based formative assessment of learners’ learning. CM is an effective tool for determining what a learner knows in the topics covered. The CM constructed by the learner is mapped with the reference CM created by the subject expert. The experimental evaluation is presented and discussed.
The CPA Failure and the Conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile States

This article examines the conflict emerged in the Sudan’s states of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army - North (SPLM/A-N) in the aftermath of the Referendum for self-determination that led to the separation of South Sudan from Sudan. It makes the point that the conflict in the so-called Two Areas - the North/South border regions of Sudan that fought alongside the SPLM/A during the country’s second civil war - is the direct result of the failure of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) to address Sudan’s issue of sovereignty beyond the north/south divide, both in its design and implementation. As a result of the CPA, neither peace nor democracy was reached in Sudan. The analysis also looks at the question of liberal peacebuilding and its flawed application in the country.
Alternative approaches for solving underdetermined isotope mixing problems

Statistical mixing models have been developed to help ecologists deal with isotope tracer data and to estimate source contributions in complex systems such as food webs and sediments. However, there are often too few tracer measurements and too many sources, so that unique solutions are not possi- ble in underdetermined mixing models. This review highlights 3 approaches for solving otherwise under- determined mixing models. The approaches include frequency-based statistics, calculations based on sec- tors measured in mixing polygons, and linear mixing between central and sidewall points in the mixing polygons. All approaches have some assumptions that allow extrapolation of mean solutions from measured data, with the simplest assumption being that any uncertainty in source contributions is divided in an even-handed manner among sources. A new graphical approach is proposed that allows scientists to critically recognize and separate data- supported aspects of solutions from any assumed aspects of solutions. The data-supported aspects of solutions can be tracked conservatively as the sum of the minimum source contributions, ΣMIN, and for the many cases where ΣMIN is low, additional ways to approach mixing problems are summarized from the published literature. Many underdetermined mixing problems do not have robust mean solutions with tracers employed thus far, so that there is a longer- term need for additional tracers and methodologies to really solve these complex ecological problems. This review concludes with several practical steps one can take to interpret isotope tracer information from underdetermined systems.
Testing applied nucleation as a strategy to facilitate tropical forest recovery

Summary Active forest restoration typically involves planting trees over large areas; this practice is costly, however, and establishing homogeneous plantations may favour the recruitment of a particular suite of species and strongly influence the successional trajectory. An alternative approach is to plant nuclei (islands) of trees to simulate the nucleation model of succession and accelerate natural recovery. We evaluated natural tree recruitment over 4 years in a restoration study replicated at eight former pasture sites in the tropical premontane forest zone of southern Costa Rica. At each site, two active restoration strategies were established in 50 × 50 m plots: planting trees throughout, and planting different-sized tree islands (4 × 4, 8 × 8, 12 × 12 m) within the plot. Restoration plots were compared to similar-sized controls undergoing passive restoration. Sites were spread across c. 100 km2 and distributed along a gradient of surrounding forest, allowing us to compare the relative importance of adjacent forest to that of within-site treatment on tree recruitment. Recruitment of animal-dispersed tree species was more than twofold higher in active (μ = 0·45 recruits m−2) as compared to passive restoration; recruitment was equivalent in plantation and island treatments, even though only 20% of the area in island plots was planted originally. The majority of recruits (>90%) represented early successional species (n = 54 species total). Density of animal-dispersed recruits was greater in large (0·80 ± 0·66 m−2) than small (0·28 ± 0·36 m−2) islands and intermediate in medium-sized islands. Seedling recruitment (<1 m tall) was greater in the interior of islands as compared to plantations, whereas sapling recruitment was similar, suggesting that island interiors may develop greater density of woody recruits as succession proceeds. Surrounding forest cover did not influence density or species richness of recruits among sites, although this factor may become more important over time. Synthesis and applications. Applied nucleation is a promising restoration strategy that can accelerate forest recovery to a similar degree as plantation-style restoration but is more economical. Appropriate island size is on the order of c. 100 m2. Practitioners should consider the methodology as an alternative to large-scale plantings.
Ceramic Products Recommendation Based Improved Collaborative Filtering

In order to achieve personalized recommendation in the e-commerce platform for ceramic products, and improve the quality of recommendation, an improved collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm based on collaborative filtering algorithm was presented. By analyzing the insufficient of traditional collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm, combined with the characteristics of ceramic products in similar neighbor selection, the user was classified, and classification results as a basis for similar neighbors selected to optimize the choice of similar neighbors. Finally, experiments verify the improved algorithm, experimental results show that the improved method was optimized. KeywordsCeramic Products; User Classifying; Collaborative Filtering
ANALYSIS OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSING MARKETS IN LARGE U.S. METROPOLITAN AREAS

This dissertation consists of three essays focusing on the geography of U.S. residential housing markets, the role of housing attributes in the residential housing markets, as well as the housing tenure choices in large metropolitan areas. The first essay, “The Geography Of Residential Housing Prices In Large U.S. Metropolitan Housing Markets”, conducts the clustering analysis to identify the geographic pattern of U.S. residential housing markets using American Housing Survey (AHS) data. Based on the housing prices and other relevant dwelling features, the K-means clustering analysis classifies the residential housing markets into three groups: a Coast group, a Central U.S. group and an in-between group. The clustering analysis rejects the hypothesis that the housing market associations between cities are random, and finds strong evidences of regional differences in housing price variations. The discriminant analysis is used to test the grouping analysis through the comparison with the region-based grouping method. The discriminant analysis provides strong support that the clustering analysis in this paper outperforms the region-based grouping analysis. In the second essay, “Hedonic Analysis Of U.S. Residential Housing Markets”, we apply the hedonic analysis to examine the relationship between prices of owner-occupied dwellings and housing attributes among the three clusters defined in Chapter One. The results show that both the housing attributes and the regional factors play an important role in determining the housing prices. The F-test verifies the disparity of housing attributes effects across clusters. The third essay, “Analysis Of Tenure Choice And Timing Of Tenure Transition In U.S. Residential Housing Markets”, incorporates the effect of household demographics in the
Personality type: optimizing the development of emotional intelligence.

The development of managers’ emotional intelligence (EI) has been advocated as fundamental to their success as leaders. Despite the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) being one of the most widely applied psychological measures of personality type in leadership development, there is inconclusive evidence on the relationship between personality type and EI. This study examined the relationship between personality preference types and emotional intelligence (EI) in a sample of 1 121 employees in a South African investment bank. Instruments for data collection included the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Quotient (Bar-On EQ-i). Data were analyzed utilizing one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine the effects of personality preference types on EI. Findings suggest a significant, positive relationship between overall EI and the personality preferences of extroversion, thinking and judging. The feeling preference affected interpersonal EI positively. Intuitive-thinking personality types showed significantly higher intrapersonal and mood EI subcomponent scores and sensing-feeling personality types demonstrated significantly lower EI subcomponent scores for intrapersonal and stress tolerance. Findings suggest that areas for EI development can be inferred from MBTI personality type preferences. Aligning coaching and development with personality preferences present valuable EI development alternatives.
The Improved Photocatalytic Properties of Methylene Blue for V2O3/CNT/TiO2 Composite under Visible Light

Multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT), vanadyl acetylacetonate (V(acac)3), and titanium n-butoxide (TNB) were used as carbon, vanadium oxide, and titanium oxide precursor to prepare V2O3/CNT/TiO2 composite. The obtained composite was characterized by BET surface area measurement, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. In addition, we used methylene blue (MB) solution under condition of visible light irradiation to determine their photocatalytic degradation efficiency. In conclusion, the V2O3/CNT/TiO2 composite had excellent photocatalytic degradation for MB solution under visible light.
On the Validity of Metacritic in Assessing Game Value

The website Metacritic, which aggregates published reviews of various entertainment media into single “metascores,” has in recent years become highly influential in the area of video games, both with respect to consumers and industry members. This has resulted in an increase both in the attention paid to Metacritic and the level of criticism leveled at the institution. The present work examines the scientific validity of Metacritic as a measure of game quality and value, from both a qualitative and a quantitative perspective. Evidence for a strong correlational link between game sales and Metacritic metascores is presented, along with a detailed analysis of a number of threats to validity identified in the metascore production process. The present work concludes that while Metacritic suffers from a number of serious threats to validity, it remains an important tool for the industry if used correctly.
Data mining approach for the treatment of drug adverse effects: olanzapine-induced hyperglycemia can be inhibited by vitamin D

Every pharmaceutical agent has both directions of effects; that is, therapeutic main effects and undesirable adverse effects. Surveillance of adverse drug reactions has been performed in the post-marketing period by collecting self-reports of clinical cases in which some of adverse events are observed. FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) is one of the publicly available databases of adverse event cases. To find a practical solution for reducing adverse events, we have shown that FAERS can be used for finding a drug combination in which the odds ratio of adverse events is statistically lowered with a concomitant drug. In the present study, we focused on the atypical antipsychotic olanzapine, which frequently causes hyperglycemia in patients. Our analysis of FAERS lead to a hypothesis that olanzapine-induced hyperglycemia is mitigated by concomitant use of vitamin D. Subsequent in vitro experiment using cultured myocytes demonstrated that olanzapine induces insulin resistance that can be prevented by vitamin D pretreatment.
THE RELATIONSHIP AND IMPACT OF MONEY GROWTH AND BUDGET DEFICIT ON INFLATION IN PAKISTAN

This research study investigates the relationship and the effects of budget deficit and money growth on inflation in the case of Pakistan’s economy. The data was gathered from different sectors in Pakistan. The data was collected from yahoo finance, ADB, KSE and State Bank of Pakistan. The period covered by this study is twenty six years starting from 1986-2011. The regression analysis test was used to examine/determine the results that were found/experienced during the research work. In regression analysis ANOVA, correlation of coefficients, and regression model test was used to analyze the results that were applied on the information gathered through secondary sources. The results show that there is a positive association of budget deficit and money growth on inflation. In general the key outcomes indicate that financing and government expenditures could have different effects. Therefore, it is very difficult to differentiate between current and capital expenditures. Budget deficit increase inflation in country and due to this there is decrease in money growth of a country.
Personalized medicine in epilepsy patients

The large number of different syndromes and seizure types together with an interindividual variable response to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) make the treatment of epilepsy challenging. Fortunately, the last few years have been characterized by a huge interest in epilepsy genetics and two methods, genome-wide analyses and next-generation sequencing, have definitely given the possibility to write a new chapter in the book of treatment of epilepsy, the chapter on precision medicine. Epilepsy offers a good opportunity for the personalization of therapy if we consider that at least one third of epileptic patients do not achieve complete seizure control with the currently available pharmacological treatments, treatment is still often empirical and precise therapy, based on the pathogenesis and the mechanism of each AED is not generally possible because this mechanism often remains incompletely known. In addition, new drugs are often not targeted but developed using in vivo seizure models, to be potentially used by the largest number of patients. This method leads to a therapy aimed at treating the symptoms and the seizures rather than the single pathogenic mechanism of each seizure type or syndrome. In this narrative review, we summarize the established evidence regarding pharmacogenomics in epilepsy and discuss the basis of precision medicine.
Modelling Transaction Costs in Purchasing via Probabilistic and Fuzzy Reasoning

Transaction costs analysis was first addressed by Coase in 1937 and is concerned with ways of aligning appropriate governance modes with the attributes of economic transactions. Nowadays transaction costs are universally accepted, but researchers in the field agree on the difficulty in measuring and quantifying them. Starting from the universally accepted definition of transaction costs, this paper proposes a model for the buyer/seller relationship, focusing on the uncertainty characterizing the exchange and the connected costs. In particular, according to a well-known classification, transaction costs are divided into ex ante (drafting and negotiating agreements) and ex post (monitoring and enforcing agreements) costs. More precisely, the problem of quantifying all such costs connected to the supply of a new product/service is addressed by using appropriate deterministic models for ex ante costs and suitable statistical distributions for ex post costs. Obviously, both such costs categories require the quantification of several parameters related to the buyer operating the transaction and to the uncertainty characterizing the buyer/seller relationship. Hence, in order to correctly evaluate the buyer behaviour, a fuzzy logic inference system is designed for synthesising, starting from expert judgments, the required data to the transaction costs model. The reported simulation experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed model in estimating the transaction costs and total costs associated with a generic transaction.
An overview of honey: Therapeutic properties and contribution in nutrition and human health

Honey, a natural product of very high nutritive value is made when the nectar (floral) and sweet deposits from plants (non floral) are gathered, modified and stored in the honeycombs by honeybees of the genera Apis and Meliponini. Its composition and quality vary greatly with the botanical source of nectar as well as environmental and climatic conditions. Depending on its quality, honey can contribute to the health and nutritional status of humans. These beneficial actions have been ascribed to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant potential. Interestingly, honey is gradually receiving attention as a complementary and or an alternative source of treatment in modern medicines. It is active against antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant strains of micro-organisms and has the potential not to select for further resistant strains. Key words: Honey, natural product, drug, food.
Power‐Sharing in Monetary Policy Committees: Evidence from the United Kingdom and Sweden

Committees may make better monetary policy decisions than individuals; however, the benefits of group decision making could be lost if committee members cede power to a chairman. We develop an econometric model to describe intracommittee power‐sharing across members. Estimation of the model permits us to classify monetary policy committees into the typology developed by Blinder ([Blinder, Alan, 2004], [Blinder, Alan, 2007]). We estimate our model for the United Kingdom's Bank of England (BOE) and Sweden's Riksbank. Results for the BOE suggest that the Governor has little influence over other committee members, while those for the Riksbank indicate that the Governor is highly influential.
Chapter 16 Physical Modeling of Arc – Continent Collision : A Review of 2 D , 3 D , Purely Mechanical and Thermo ‐ Mechanical Experimental Models

Geological data provide the foundation for investigating lithospheric processes such as arc–continent collisions. However these data are generally limited and only give partial insights into the mechanics of these processes characterized by very large spatial and time scales. Therefore geodynamic modeling, using either physical/experimental or numerical techniques, is now routinely used to make up the lack of data and to better understand the evolution of the processes taking into account, as much as possible, its thermo‐mechanical and 3D nature. The physical modeling technique appears to be particularly efficient to gain insights into such a complex phenomenon as continental subduction/collision. In this work, we review the modeling results obtained using the method developed by A. Chemenda and based on the use of temperature‐ sensitive elasto-plastic hydrocarbon materials to model the various layers of the lithosphere. This method and its thermo‐mechanical evolution have provided numerous insights into the physics of oceanic and continental subduction, arc–continent collision, and the exhumation of ultra-high pressure/low temperature rocks, which have been presented in multiple publications (Shemenda 1992, 1993, 1994; Shemenda and Grocholsky 1992 Chemenda et al. 1995, 1996, 1997a, b, 2000a, b, 2001a, b; Boutelier et al. 2002, 2003, 2004; Boutelier 2004; Boutelier and Chemenda 2008). In this chapter we attempt to form, out of these numerous results, a coherent whole in order to provide geologists with a robust mechanical framework of arc–continent collision. We present the employed modeling technique and detail the key modeling results as well as some of their applications to active or fossil arc–continent collision zones.
Dirk Schindler Debt Shifting and Thin-Capitalization Rules – German Experience and Alternative Approaches

This paper presents the general design of thincapitalization rules and summarizes the economic effects of such rules as identified in theoretical models. We review empirical studies providing evidence on the experience with (German) thin-capitalization rules as well as on the adjustment of German multinationals to foreign thin-capitalization rules. Special emphasis is given to the development in Germany, because Germany went a long way in limiting interest deductibility by enacting a drastic change in its thin-capitalization rules in 2008, and because superb German data on multinational finance allows for testing several aspects consistently. We then discuss the experience of the Nordic countries with thincapitalization rules. Briefly reviewing potential alternatives as well, we believe that the arm’s-length principle is administratively too costly and impracticable, whereas we argue that controlled-foreign-company rules might be another promising avenue for limiting internal debt shifting. Fundamental tax reforms towards a systemwith either "allowance for corporate equity" (ACE) or a "comprehensive business income tax" (CBIT) should also eliminate any thin-capitalization incentive.
Adherence to the Code of Ethics in the Profession of Interpreting

A code of professional ethics defines and lays the principles of professional practice. In the profession of interpreting these principles include- among other things-confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism, which all members of the profession shall bound to observe, exercise, and respect. Since interpreting services have taken a giant leap, signaling an unprecedented demand due to the intricate nature of international relations, global business, and world events, it is of paramount importance for interpreters to maintain the highest professional standards in compliance with their code of ethics. This paper puts in a nutshell the findings of an empirical study which targeted 20 interpreters as to the degree of their commitment and adherence to the professional code of ethics. The results lend support to the research hypotheses stipulating that interpreters fall short of demonstrating full compliance with the prescribed code of ethics. Consequently, the situation calls for: (a) making interpreters well aware of the professional code of ethics, and (b) strictly enforcing and adhering to all such rules of professional practice.