Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A parallel stereovision method used for monitoring the collapse of a three-story frame model subjected to seismic loading

In lab or actual engineering, the traditional contact sensors are always destroyed with damage of structures or models, and this leads to the failure of entire dynamic measurement. To deal with this issue, this article proposes a three-dimensional displacement measurement approach based on the parallel stereovision model. This approach combines the efficient large-scale stereo matching algorithm and the digital image correlation approach to obtain three-dimensional displacement of structural vibration response. In this article, the digital image correlation method is employed to match sequential images of left and right cameras, and the efficient large-scale stereo algorithm is used to obtain the disparity between the left and right images at each moment. Based on the parallel stereovision model, the three-dimensional coordinates of the measured point on the structural surface are achieved accordingly. A shaking table test of a three-story frame model under El Centro earthquake is performed in lab. Experimental results indicate that the displacement curves acquired by the linear variable differential transformers and the proposed method agree well, and this testifies the reliability and effectiveness of the presented approach. Only the presented stereovision approach attains the entire displacement curves of structural collapse when the model collapses, and this demonstrates the capability of the presented stereovision approach monitoring structural collapse.
Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age

Required reading includes Mass Media Law, 20th edition, by Calvert, Kozlowski, and Silver, which you can get from http://uwm.ecampus. com/shop-by-course. You’ll find a variety of purchase and rental options. It is OK to use the 18th or 19th editions (the authors of those editions are Pember and Calvert), which you can purchase online at sites such as www.cheapesttextbooks. com for a fraction of the price of the 20th edition. Just be sure to have the textbook by the beginning of JAMS 559. The course moves quickly, and if you don’t do the reading you’ll be seriously disadvantaged.
Perception on the Quality of Life, Communication and Life Satisfaction among Individuals with Parkison's and Their Caregivers

Background Speech impairment, which reduces Quality of Life (QOL), frequently occurs in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). As speaking is required for social interaction, speech impairment can reduce one's life satisfaction. Although QOL has been well-studied in individuals with PD, the QOL of their caregivers has seldom been investigated. This study compared the QOL of individuals with PD and their caregivers. The relationships between QOL, self-rated speech scale, and life satisfaction level were examined. Method A total of 20 individuals with PD and their caregivers completed the Parkinson's disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) scale and the Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS). In addition, PD participants were asked to complete the Self-Rated Speech Scale (SRSS) to rate their speech intelligibility. Result PD participants reported significantly lower QOL scores than their caregivers. However, there was no difference between the two groups on the social support and stigma dimensions, indicating that both groups reported similar levels of social support and stigma in their daily lives. A moderate significant correlation was observed between the LSS and PDQ-39 scores in the PD group, suggesting that life satisfaction could affect their QOL. Moreover, moderate correlation was found between the LSS and SRSS, showing that participants self-reported speech intelligibility has an impact on their life satisfaction. Conclusion In general, individuals with PD showed lower QOL than their caregivers. Given that the SRSS, LSS and QOL are moderately correlated, identifying patients' perception on their speech intelligibility and life satisfaction could help clinicians to better understand their patients' needs when delivering speech therapy services.
Challenges experienced by learners with visual impairments in South African township mainstream primary schools

Diversity in education is not about different races only; in the South African context it also refers, for instance, to types of schools or different learning styles. Inclusivity in education thus refers to all learners, regardless of their abilities, being noticed and encouraged to share and learn in the same space. However, the South African education system is still struggling to ensure that learners with disabilities, especially those with visual impairment, are fully catered for in mainstream schools. In the study reported on here a qualitative research methodology was used to collect data through semi-structured interviews and observations with selected participants to explore challenges experienced by partially sighted learners in mainstream schools. It was found that even though learners with visual impairment are now physically integrated in mainstream classes, they are not truly included. Furthermore, teacher training should be enhanced, and teacher support reviewed while involving parents of visually impaired learners in their children’s schooling. Keywords: full-service school; inclusion; inclusive education; mainstream school; partially sighted; township school; visual impairment
Computationally efficient PMU-based L1 estimators for large power systems

of the Dissertation Computationally Efficient PMU-based L1 Estimators for Large Power Systems by Chenxi Xu Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering Northeastern University, May 2018 Dr. Ali Abur, Advisor Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) are increasingly deployed in power systems because of their nice characteristics like fast data acquisition rate and GPS clock synchronization. With the explicit usage of PMU measurements, Least Absolute Value (LAV) State Estimator (SE), together with its built-in Bad Data (BD) rejection capability, can be formulated as a Linear Programming (LP) problem and solved efficiently by high-performance LP solvers. This dissertation reviews the foundational research on power system state estimation and proposes several novel LAV SEs with high robustness and computational performance for Very Large Scale Interconnected (VLSI) power grids when the system is measured by only PMUs. The first part of this dissertation presents two centralized LAV SEs incorporating Zero Injection (ZI) measurements into the LAV state estimation formulation using direct enforcement and Kron reduction, respectively. Based on the current circumstance that VLSI power grids are usually divided into several independent and non-overlapping zones, the second part of this dissertation presents several multiarea distributed LAV SEs. The first algorithm combines a well-known LP decomposition method: Dantzig-Wolfe (DW) decomposition with the LAV SE considering the motivation that LAV can be formulated as an
Spatio-Temporal Analysis and Prediction of Cellular Traffic in Metropolis

Understanding and predicting cellular traffic at large-scale and fine-granularity is beneficial and valuable to mobile users, wireless carriers, and city authorities. Predicting cellular traffic in modern metropolis is particularly challenging because of the tremendous temporal and spatial dynamics introduced by diverse user Internet behaviors and frequent user mobility citywide. In this paper, we characterize and investigate the root causes of such dynamics in cellular traffic through a big cellular usage dataset covering 1.5 million users and 5,929 cell towers in a major city of China. We reveal intensive spatio-temporal dependency even among distant cell towers, which is largely overlooked in previous works. To explicitly characterize and effectively model the spatio-temporal dependency of urban cellular traffic, we propose a novel decomposition of in-cell and inter-cell data traffic, and apply a graph-based deep learning approach to accurate cellular traffic prediction. Experimental results demonstrate that our method consistently outperforms the state-of-the-art time-series based approaches and we also show through an example study how the decomposition of cellular traffic can be used for event inference.
Nutrition labelling: an exploratory study on personal factors that influence the practice of reading nutrition labels among adolescents

Introduction: The consumption of processed food is increasing in developing countries. Nutrition labels on food packaging are important for the education of consumers, particularly adolescents, to help them make healthier food choices. However, there is evidence to suggest that adolescents generally do not use nutrition labels. This study aims to explore the personal factors that influence the practice of Malaysian adolescents in reading nutrition labels. Methods: The participants were adolescents, aged 13-16 years, from five public schools in Negeri Sembilan. Five semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. The participants discussed their personal views, knowledge and perceptions regarding the use of nutrition labels and food selection. Data gathered from the FGDs were coded through thematic analysis using the NVivo software. Results: While the participants were familiar with nutrition labels, their usage was relatively low during food selection due to the lack of interest in nutrition information, past experiences, hunger and cravings, time constraints and the taste of the food. The main reasons for using nutrition labels were health consciousness and their curiosity about specific nutrition information provided on the labels. The majority of participants believed that information provided on the labels was accurate because it was provided by reliable institutions. There was also misperception among some participants, mixing up nutrition labels with list of ingredients and the expiry dates. A few participants were unconvinced by the labels and stated that the labels provided misleading information. Conclusion: Personal factors such as knowledge, misperception, awareness and trust significantly impact how adolescents read nutrition labels.
Why Did Gen Z Quit?: Reorienting Toward Long Term Employment in Social Justice

Our current orientation toward work is failing members of Generation Z (GenZ) working to decrease suffering in their communities (i.e. social workers, housing case managers, and nurses). GenZ was born between 1997-2012 (American Psychological Association [APA], 2018). GenZ adults who completed four years of college are just beginning to enter the workforce, yet they are already burning out. The current orientations of GenZ focus on drawing meaning from career only, workism and grind culture, negative emotions, cognitive distortions, and place an over emphasis on the individual. This paper offers a reorientation using the science of well-being, positive psychology. I suggest that this reorientation needs to widen sources of meaning, re-engage Generation Z employees to seek positive emotions, redefine success and achievement, and prioritize relationships. This reorientation will allow GenZ employees working to decrease suffering in their communities to avoid burnout and to stay in their chosen fields for longer. This is good not only for the employees but for their organizations and the communities they serve.
A Mixed Methods Exploration of Persistence in Postsecondary Education Among Young Adults with Disabilities or Learning Differences

vii List of Figures . xiv List of Tables . xv CHAPTER 1 . 1 Overview . 2 Statement of the Problem . 3 Purpose and Research Questions. 6 Statement of Significance. 6 Conceptual Framework . 8 Summary of the Methodology. 10 Limitations . 13 Definition of Key Terms . 15 Summary . 17 CHAPTER 2 . 18 Patterns in Outcomes for Adults with Disabilities . 21 Contextualizing Adult Outcomes of Individuals with Disabilities . 21 Importance of Postsecondary Education . 23
A combination of vigenere algorithm and one time pad algorithm in the three-pass protocol

Cryptography is the method of delivery of messages in secret, thus only the intended message recipient can read the message. In this study, the cryptographic algorithms which used are Vigenere Cipher and One Time Pad. However, the security of both algorithms depends on the security of the algorithm key. Three-Pass Protocol is a scheme of work that lets two people exchange secret messages without doing a key exchange. So, both the symmetric cryptographic algorithms combined on a Three-Pass Protocol scheme. The purpose of the combination of two algorithms in the three-pass protocol is to secure the image message without exchange key process between sender and recipient. The results of the research and testing using GetPixel pointed out that safeguarding the image file using the combination of Vigenere Cipher and One Time Pad algorithm restores the original image files intact. Therefore, it meets the parameters of the integrity of the data. The test results based on time parameter shows that time of the program execution process is directly proportional to the size of the image. The result is related with the formula which calculate every pixels of the the image.
Factors of subjective household economic well-being in transition countries

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between social capital and subjective ranking of household economic well-being in transition countries. The current study tests whether the performance of formal institutions moderates this link.Design/methodology/approachThe analyses are based on the data from the second wave of the Life in Transition Survey. The measures “generosity of welfare policy (social safety nets)” and “ability of formal institutions to control inflation” were provided by the Bertelsmann Transformation Index Project. The study uses four measures of social capital: trust in family, trust in friends and acquaintances, trust in most people and the number of support sources. To test the hypotheses, the study employs mixed-effects regression models.FindingsThe study indicates a significant positive effect of social capital on subjective household well-being. Formal institutions do not have a significant effect on subjective ranking of household well-being. The evidence on institutions as moderators rejects the substitution effect between formal institutions and social capital. Higher generosity of welfare policy institutions and higher ability of formal institutions to control inflation strengthen the positive effect of particular trust (trust in family and trust in friends and acquaintances) on subjective ranking on the ladder of social standing (subjective ranking of household well-being), which is in line with the “crowding in” theory.Originality/valueThe paper adds on the limited research on transition countries. The paper contributes to the discussion on “crowding in” and “crowding out” effects of formal institutions on social capital.
An alternate state in mind: the effect of CPA exam credit-hour requirements and economic competitiveness on state-level exam candidate pools and pass rates

ABSTRACT State Boards of Accountancy and other regulators monitor state-wide sit and pass rates on the CPA exam in fulfilling their mission to protect the public. These metrics can prompt important policy decisions such as state CPA exam requirements as well as the accounting curricula and resource allocation at that state’s colleges and universities. Using the test center location of CPA candidates, we analyze the pass rates of U.S. jurisdictions regarding the performance of both in-state and out-of-state candidates. We document that states allowing a candidate to sit for the exam at fewer credit hours (120 verses 150 credit hours) tend to be greater importers of out-of-state CPA candidates. After controlling for a state’s credit hour requirements, we find evidence to suggest that states with high economic activity tend to attract out-of-state candidates that, on average, have better pass rates than do the candidates currently residing in those states. We suggest that our results can assist State Boards, educators, and other stakeholders in making policy decisions regarding the CPA exam environment in their state. More broadly, our study contributes to the literature regarding how state-level rules affect regional competitiveness and the flow of human capital.
Visual feature recognition based indoor localization

Existing indoor localization solutions require an expensive, pre-installed infrastructure. On the other hand the advancements in the area of computer vision, in particular in feature recognition, extraction and matching algorithms makes this approach interesting to be investigated. Modern feature detection algorithms are able to extract features which are strong, unique and invariant to rotation and scaling, so the array of these features represent an image well. By ﬁnding similarity between images based on comparing features we are able to detect if images have been made from diﬀerent viewpoints of a single scene. In this work we have set up a test environment to investigate some of the most popular feature detection algorithms and methods on a real indoor dataset for their usability for visual localization.
Determinants of focused antenatal care service satisfaction in public health facilities in Ethiopia 2018: A mixed study design

Ethiopia has been implementing focused antenatal care package to reduce maternal and child deaths. The quality of antenatal care service has not being resolved widely due to unstandardized measurement. Hence, this study assessed determinants of focused antenatal care service satisfaction in Public Health Facilities of West Guji Zone, Ethiopia, 2018. A facility based cross-sectional triangulated with qualitative study design was conducted and multistage sampling techniques was used to select 810 pregnant women in West Guji Zone, from February 5th to 28th, 2018. Key informants were selected purposively for in-depth interview. Internal reliability test checked and Crobach‘s alpha became 86.5%. Data was cleaned, coded, entered to EPI INFO software, and then exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Predictors in multivariate logistic regression analysis determined where p value is less than 0.05. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed and triangulated for final conclusion. The overall prevalence of satisfaction was 66%. The predictors of overall satisfaction level were urban resident (AOR=1.91, 95%CI: 1.07-3.35), males’ sex service provider (AOR=0.42, 95%CI: 0.31-0.70), housewife in occupation (AOR=5.81, 95%CI :1.06-31.35), living alone (AOR= 0.16, 95%CI: 0.04-0.71), waiting time 30-60 minutes (AOR= 0.62, 95%CI :0.40-0.99), frequency ANC (AOR= 0.35, 95%CI: 0.16-0.76), care giving approach (AOR= 5.10, 95%CI: 2.10-12.51), and service provider respect (AOR= 2.41, 95%CI: 1.31-4.50). Three-in-ten study women were dissatisfied with the service they received and predicators were rural residence, male service providers, government employees, living alone, 30-60’ waiting time duration, frequency of antenatal care visit, care giving and respectful approach of service provider. Therefore, a multidimensional intervention is crucial to alleviate multifaceted negative outcomes in maternal health. Key words: Antenatal care, child, maternal satisfaction.
A mini-review of contributing and impeding factors of secure parental attachment and an investigation if current preventive interventions use these factors to ensure secure parental attachment in the first 1001 critical days after conception in Western countries after 2010

INTRODUCTION: The formation of an attachment bond between parents and an (unborn) infant is an important developmental outcome of an infant’s life. Child healthcare professionals focus on the first 1001 critical days after conception, because the attachment bond starts during the prenatal phase and increases during the postnatal phase. For optimal attachment behaviour between parents and an (unborn) infant, preventive evidence-based interventions are developed, in order to assist child healthcare professionals to strive for optimal parental attachment behaviour. OBJECTIVES: the aims of this study are (1) to identify contributing and impeding factors of secure parental attachment in the first 1001 critical days after conception in Western countries after 2010 and (2) to determine if current preventive evidence-based interventions use these factors to ensure secure parental attachment in Western countries after 2010. METHODS: Two mini-reviews were conducted in which subjective limits were applied to the scope of the searches. Twenty studies identified a factor of parental attachment and 13 intervention studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the narrative analysis. The categorization of included studies was based on the ecological model of determinants of parenting with three general sources (individual characteristics of the mother and father, characteristics of the infant and contextual sources of stress and support for the parents). RESULTS: A total of 16 identified factors were found in 20 included studies of parental attachment. These identified factors were: mental health, childhood history, representation of an (unborn) infant, planning of pregnancy, number of pregnancies, breastfeeding, bedsharing, age, SES/education, hormone composition, infant temperament, preterm birth, marital relationship, parenting stress, household size and job situation. Of these 16 factors, 11 factors were addressed in current preventive evidence-based interventions. Only one factor ‘infant temperament’ was addressed in all the 13 intervention studies. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Based on the determinants of parenting, the findings reveal that improved, adjusted or newly developed preventive evidencebased interventions with the aim to strive for optimal attachment behaviour between parents and an (unborn) infant must address at least five factors; mental health, own childhood history, representation of an (unborn) infant, infant temperament and the marital relationship. Regarding the Netherlands, the first essential step is to conduct follow-up research to guarantee the transition of the identified factors of parental attachment within current Dutch preventive interventions to ensure secure parental attachment in the first 1001 critical days after conception
The Self-(un)Identification of Disability in Higher Education

Use of the self-identification process and accommodation services can, in theory, positively contribute to student success; however, students with disabilities may be negatively impacted if they perceive others viewing them as less significant members of the college community. This study identifies the number of students with self-identified disabilities within higher education and the change in self-identification cases over the course of postsecondary enrollment. Utilizing data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study, findings indicate that, 59% of students who self-identified during the first year of postsecondary education, unidentified by the first follow-up and, of those who identified as having a disability at the first follow-up, only 38% also self-identified during the base-year.