Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Overcoming Challenges to the Adoption of Learning Analytics at the Practitioner Level: A Critical Analysis of 18 Learning Analytics Frameworks

ABSTRACT Learning analytics (LA) is a fast-growing field but adoption by teachers remain limited. This paper presents the results of a review of 18 LA frameworks and discusses how they have tried to address prominent challenges in LA adoption. The results show that researchers have made significant advances in developing appropriate frameworks to conceptualise LA adoption among teachers, and have advanced considerably in connecting LA and learning theory. However, few frameworks are concretised into technological artefacts and concrete data streams. Moreover, there is a need to empirically validate and put into use the most promising existing frameworks. We hope that this review will be informative for teachers who have little LA experience but are interested in adopting LA in authentic practice.
Individual-Level Determinants of the Public Acceptance of Policy Measures to Improve Urban Air Quality: The Case of the Barcelona Low Emission Zone

A variety of policy instruments that impose restrictions on traffic are being put in place across European cities to improve urban air quality. These measures include various schemes such as congestion charges, low emission zones (LEZs) and other traffic calming measures. In this paper, we are interested in the public acceptance of LEZs. Recent studies show high levels of public support for LEZs across Europe. However, specific research on public attitudes towards LEZs is limited. We conducted a self-administered survey (online) among residents in Barcelona, Spain. Based on a previous analytical model, bivariate and path analysis modelling was used to examine the association between key independent variables and acceptance. The results showed that most surveyed residents had a positive attitude towards implementing the LEZ, perceiving this policy instrument as a fair and effective measure to reduce air pollution. Perceived process legitimacy, perceived global impacts and affect had a significant direct effect on acceptance. Prior attitudes and personal orientations and, to a lesser extent, personal characteristics, were indirectly associated with levels of acceptance.
Evaluating users’ preference for the appearance of humanoid robots via event-related potentials and spectral perturbations

ABSTRACT Even though humanoid robots are being applied to diverse areas, the formation of users’ preference for the appearance of humanoid robots remains unknown. The present study investigated users’ neural dynamics underlying preference formation to evaluate users’ preference for the appearance of humanoid robots. EEG signals were recorded in a preference categorisation task, and neural dynamics were analysed via event-related potentials and time–frequency analysis. The results showed that in the early stage, the preferred humanoid robot appearances elicited enhanced parieto-occipital N1, frontal P2, and early central and parieto-occipital theta rhythm power than the non-preferred appearances. In the later stage, the preferred humanoid robot appearances elicited enhanced scalp-distributed LPP and later central and parieto-occipital theta power than the non-preferred appearances. The results suggested that the formation of users’ preference for the appearance of humanoid robots has a distinctive dual-stage of neural dynamics. The study provides designers with an objective method in evaluating users’ preference for the appearance of humanoid robots.
Project Management in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (also referred to as Industry 4.0) is driven by a massive utilization of new technologies, such as robots, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Quantum Computing and Quantum Communications, replacing humans by machines in certain tasks or the development of new or more efficient tasks. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is originating huge modifications in society and organizations. Human adaptation to the new paradigm is required, as it will have a high impact on jobs and on the required skills.
Comparative Evaluation of the Efficacy of Newer Irrigating Solutions in the Removal of Smear Layer Using SEM

Aim: To compare the effect of EDTA, Phytic acid and Peracitic acid on smear layer removal by effective conventional irrigation. Materials and Methodology: A total of 50 extracted mandibular premolars were selected. The canals were instrumented by rotary system up to F2 ProTaper and irrigated with 3% NaOCL simultaneously, teeth were divided into 4 groups according to the final irrigants: 17% EDTA; 2.25% PERACITIC ACID; 1% Phytic Acid; and saline. The canals were irrigated with 25 guage side vented needles for 5 minutes. Specimens were examined under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Smear layer removal was evaluated at coronal, middle and apical thirds of the root canal. The data is analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: In this study, the control group that is normal saline (4.05 ± 1.06) showed very less amount of smear layer removal. The highest amount of smear layer removal was seen in the group with phytic acid followed by peracitic acid and sodium hypochlorite groups. The apical third showed significantly more smear layer than the coronal and middle thirds (p<0.05). No significant difference was found between the coronal and middle thirds in all experimental groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: 1% phytic acid was the most effective in removing the smear layer at each level of the root canal followed by 2.5% peracitic and 17% EDTA.
Price Indices and the Value of Innovation with Heterogenous Patients

Many countries use uniform cost-effectiveness criteria to determine whether to adopt a new medical technology for the entire population. This approach assumes homogeneous preferences for expected health benefits and side effects. We examine whether new prescription drugs generate welfare gains when accounting for heterogeneous preferences by constructing quality-adjusted price indices in the market for colorectal cancer drug treatments. We find that while the efficacy gains from newer drugs do not justify high prices for the population as a whole, innovation improves the welfare of sicker, late-stage cancer patients. A uniform evaluation criterion would not permit these innovations despite welfare gains to a subpopulation.
Social Norms and the Dynamics of Online Incivility

Online discussions are performed in the gaze of fellow users. To increase engagement, platforms typically let these users evaluate the comments made by others through rating systems (e.g., via Likes or Down/Up votes). Understanding how such ratings shape, and are shaped by, features of the underlying discussion is important for our understanding of online behavior. In this study, we focus on an increasingly concerning aspect of online discussions: incivility. We draw on the theory of normative social behavior to analyze a data set of over 6,000 online newspaper comments. We find that repeated incivility by the same person is more likely when their initial incivility was affirmed by both descriptive norms (incivility in nearby comments) and injunctive norms (Up votes). Repeated incivility receives more Up votes if nearby comments also include incivility but fewer Up votes if they do not, suggesting that injunctive norms are contextual and shaped by descriptive norms. We conclude that online incivility is a dynamic, normative process that is responsive to both positive feedback and proximate incivility.
Effects on physiological characteristics of Eremochloa ophiuroides and Zoysia japonica under progressive lead stress

The effects of progressive lead stress on membrane lipid peroxidation,chlorophyll content,proline content and antioxidant systems in the leaves of Eremochloa ophiuroides and Zoysia japonica were studied in pot experiments.As Pb2+ concentration increased: 1) Leaves of E.ophiuroides were injured to different degrees while leaves of Z.japonica were injured only slightly.2) Malondialdehyde(MDA) content increased in the leaves of the two turfgrasses,but the range in E.ophiuroides was wider than that in Z.japonica. 3) SOD enzyme activity increased initially then decreased in E.ophiuroides while there was no significant change in Z.japonica. 4) POD and CAT activities of E.ophiuroides increased initially and then decreased,in contrast to those of Z.japonica. 5) The free proline(Pro) content increased initially and then decreased in E.ophiuroides,but increased continuously in Z.japonica. 6) Chlorophyll content increased initially then decreased in both turfgrasses.The analysis indicated tolerance of lead is stronger in Z.japonica than in E.ophiuroides.
Assimilation of Radial Velocity from Coastal NEXRAD into HWRF for Improved Forecasts of Landfalling Hurricanes

The benefits of assimilating Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) radial velocity data for convective systems have been demonstrated in previous studies. However, impacts of assimilation of such high spatial and temporal resolution observations on hurricane forecasts have not been demonstrated with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Hurricane Weather and Research Forecasting (HWRF) system. This study investigates impacts of NEXRAD radial velocity data on forecasts of the evolution of landfalling hurricanes with different configurations of data assimilation. The sensitivity of data assimilation results to influencing parameters within the data assimilation system, such as the maximum range of the radar data, superobservations, horizontal and vertical localization correlation length scale, and weight of background error covariances, are examined. Two hurricane cases, Florence and Michael, which occurred in the summer of 2018 are chosen to conduct a series of experiments. Results show that hurricane intensity, asymmetric structure of inland wind and precipitation, and quantitative precipitation forecasting are improved. Suggestions for implementation of operational configurations are provided.
Power Quality Analysis of the Output Voltage of AC Voltage and Frequency Controllers Realized with Various Voltage Control Techniques

Single-phase and three-phase AC-AC converters are employed in variable speed drive, induction heating systems, and grid voltage compensation. They are direct frequency and voltage controllers having no intermediate power conversion stage. The frequency controllers govern the output frequency (low or high) in discrete steps as per the requirements. The voltage controllers only regulate the RMS value of the output voltage. The output voltage regulation is achieved on the basis of the various voltage control techniques such as phase-angle, on-off cycle, and pulse-width modulation (PWM) control. The power quality of the output voltage is directly linked with its control techniques. Voltage controllers implemented with a simple control technique have large harmonics in their output voltage. Different control techniques have various harmonics profiles in the spectrum of the output voltage. Traditionally, the evaluation of power quality concerns is based on the simulation platform. The validity of the simulated values depends on the selection of the period of a waveform. Any deficiency in the selection of the period leads to incorrect results. A mathematical analytical approach can tackle this issue. This becomes important to analytically analyze the harmonious contents generated by various switching control algorithms for the output voltage so that these results can be successfully used for power quality analysis and filtering of harmonics components through various harmonics suppression techniques. Therefore, this research is focused on the analytical computation of the harmonics coefficients in the output voltage realized through the various voltage and frequency control techniques. The mathematically computed results are validated with the simulation and experimental results.
Measuring Indonesia's Halal Tourism Development Using GMTI (A Case Study in West Sumatra)

This study aims to measure the real readiness of the development of halal tourism in Indonesia. There were different views of the awards received by the two regions in Indonesia at The World Halal Tourism Award 2016 which were decided based on the polling, not based on the real conditions of halal tourism. The present study used the GMTI with four indicators namely access, telecommunications network, environment, and services in measuring tourist responses toward their interests in visiting West Sumatra. This research used quantitative methods and the samples were taken by purposive sampling with a sample of 50 non-local Muslim tourist respondents who have previously visited West Sumatra. The data were analyzed using simple linear regression employing SPSS ver. 21. The findings of the present study showed that the four GMTI indicators have significant effects on the intention of Muslim tourists in visiting West Sumatra.
Narcissistic Personality Traits and Sexual Satisfaction in Men: The Role of Sexual Self-Esteem

Research on pathological narcissistic traits and sexuality are mainly focused on the dysfunctional aspects of sexuality. The present study aims to explore the relationship between narcissistic traits and sexual satisfaction in men, testing whether sexual self-esteem mediates this association. Participants included 212 men who completed measures of grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic traits, sexual self-esteem, and sexual satisfaction. Results highlight how vulnerable narcissistic traits are negatively associated with sexual satisfaction. This association is fully mediated by sexual self-esteem. On the contrary, grandiose narcissistic traits are not directly associated with sexual satisfaction, but with sexual self-esteem only, which explains the indirect effect of grandiose traits on sexual satisfaction. In conclusion, sexual self-esteem in personality configurations with high pathological narcissistic traits accounts for the relationship between narcissistic traits and sexual satisfaction.
Hardiness sensing for susceptibility using American Fuzzy Lop

American Fuzzy Lop is an automated software testing method to give unexceeded values, else random data’s as input to computer programs for testing the hardiness process. Existing fuzzing methods will come under carried based type. Pointing to test a certain input that covers a certain region of units to fit under retain part. Still, a susceptibility over a program space may not arrive paraded in all execution that occurs to see the certain program parts; just some program executions will go the location could disclose the susceptibility. In this paper, we introduced a unified fitness metric known as direct board, which can be used for American Fuzzy lop, and that is explicitly pointed toward exploring for test input that can disclose susceptibilities. To improvise the AFL, we have enhanced its methodology to produce a more effective quality fuzzing tool. This causes our method to notice buffer invade as well as the whole number invade susceptibilities. Enhanced AFL is tested with similar benchmark programs to compare it and adding an extension to it called AFLBLEND. By our method, many uncover susceptibility could be found with a given amount of time and faster than the AFL approach by 8%.
Disclosing the Nutritional Quality Diversity of Portuguese Common Beans—The Missing Link for Their Effective Use in Protein Quality Breeding Programs

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) represents a sustainable and affordable source of protein, namely, to populations with vegetarian dietary habits. Despite the national germplasm genetic diversity, little is known about the Portuguese accessions’ nutritional and protein quality, leading to their underuse in breeding programs. To fill this gap, a representative collection (106 accessions) was cropped under two contrasting environments (traditional versus heat stress) and evaluated in terms of nutritional quality by near-infrared spectroscopy. Protein quality was assessed, under the stressful environment, considering the individual amino acid contents and the activity of trypsin inhibitors through mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and spectrophotometry, respectively. On top of strong genotypic control, the nutritional composition (protein, fat, fiber, moisture and ash) was also highly influenced by the environment and by genotype × environment interaction, with a clear nutritional quality ranking change for the accessions in heat stress conditions. Classified into three clusters, the accessions from the cluster with the highest individual amino acid and protein contents also showed higher trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA). Since different levels of TIA had no translation into contrasting protein digestibility, breeders focusing on common beans’ protein quality improvement, especially under challenging warming climate conditions, may take advantage of this group of accessions.
Subterranean Waters of Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico Reveal Epigean Species Dominance and Intraspecific Variability in Freshwater Ostracodes (Crustacea: Ostracoda)

The Yucatán Peninsula is a karstic region, rich in subterranean environments with a diverse crustacean stygobiont fauna. In order to gain insights into the biological evolution of the subterranean environments of this region, we evaluated the ostracode species composition of caves and cenotes in five independent sampling campaigns (2008, 2013, 2017–2019). Using morphometric analyses, we evaluated inter-population morphological variability; using molecular analysis based on mitochondrial COI and nuclear 18S rDNA, we evaluated genetic differentiation in selected species. The observed fauna is composed of 20 (epigean) species, presenting a lack of strict stygobionts. Morphometric analyses discriminated up to three morphotypes in each of the three most abundant species: Cytheridella ilosvayi, Alicenula sp. and Cypridopsis vidua. High intraspecific morphological variability was found either in shape or size. Phylogenetic analysis based on COI demonstrated the existence of three lineages on C. ilosvayi, with high support (>0.9). The 18S rDNA sequences were identical among individuals of different populations. A lack of congruence between the genetic markers precluded us from postulating speciation in subterranean environments. It is likely that Late Pleistocene—Early Holocene climate variation related to sea level and precipitation was forcing agent for epigean ostracode dominance in subterranean environments of the Peninsula.
Use of Halophilic Bacteria in Biological Treatment of Saline Wastewater by Fed‐Batch Operation

Biological treatment of saline wastewater by standard activated‐sludge cultures typically results in low chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies as a result of plasmolysis of cells caused by high salt content (> 1%). Removal of salt from wastewater before biological treatment by reverse osmosis or ion exchange would be quite costly. However, inclusion of salt‐tolerant organisms in an activated‐sludge culture to improve treatment efficiency is a practical approach developed and presented in this article. Synthetic wastewater composed of diluted molasses, urea, phosphate, and different amounts of salt (0 to 5% sodium chloride) was treated in an aeration tank operated in fed‐batch mode. Halobacter halobium added to activated‐sludge culture was used in biological treatment, and results were compared with those obtained with the activated‐sludge culture alone. Halobacter addition produced significantly greater COD removal rates and efficiencies (% removal) at salt concentrations greater than 2% salt. At low salt concentrations, performances of both cultures were comparable. Results indicated that saline wastewater containing more than 2% salt can be treated effectively by Halobacter‐supplemented, activated‐sludge cultures, with COD removal efficiencies greater than 85% within 9 hours of fed‐batch operation.
The Spatial Distribution and Influencing Factors of Employment Multipliers in China’s Expanding Cities

In the process of urbanization in developing countries, creating enough jobs to realize the transition from an agricultural population to a non-agricultural population is a major goal of development. The differences and localities of cities need to be considered in the policymaking process. This study estimated the local employment multipliers of expanding cities in China and calculated the employment multiplier of each city. First, there are obvious differences in the size of employment multipliers across cities; therefore, it is necessary to adopt different policies in employment promotion. Second, an inverted-U-shape relationship is detected between employment multiplier and city size, namely the larger the city, the greater the employment multiplier, but when the city size exceeds a certain value, the employment multiplier begins to decline. Third, different degrees of influence are generated by factors for cities at different levels of economic development. Based on the research results, we suggest that expansion of the trade sector be promoted in small- and medium-sized cities, to give full play to its employment multiplier effect; meanwhile, in large cities, the degree of specialization of the trade sector and diversification of the non-trade sector should be improved.
Fractional interpolation and multirate technique based design of optimum IIR integrators and differentiators

ABSTRACT In this paper, new designs of infinite impulse response digital integrators are presented. Transfer functions of the digital integrators are derived after utilising the concept of multirate technique in the fractional interpolation of the rectangular and bilinear transform. Thereafter, the unknown variables of the obtained generalised transfer functions are optimised by using the optimisation algorithm. This yields the mean relative magnitude error, dB and dB for the first- and second-order, respectively. Furthermore, new designs of the first- and second-order digital differentiators are obtained by inverting the generalised transfer functions of the proposed integrator designs followed by optimisation of the unknown variables. The mean relative magnitude errors for first- and second-order differentiators are obtained as dB and dB, respectively. The proposed designs of integrators and differentiators exhibit the precise approximation of the ideal integrator and differentiator over the full Nyquist interval.
Studies on high pressure-high temperature synthesis of carbon clathrates

Ab initio DFT calculations were used for theoretica l analysis of crystal and electronic structure of C 46, Li 8C46 and Li 8B6C40 carbon clathrates. Simultaneously experimental attempts of carbon clathrates synthesis from fullerene C 60 at pressure 8 GPa were made. For a specific conditions polymerized form of fullerene – fulle rite was obtained.
Practical decoy-state BB84 quantum key distribution with quantum memory

We generalize BB84 quantum key distribution (QKD) to the scenario where the receiver adopts a heralded quantum memory (QM). With the heralded QM, the valid dark count rate of the receiver’s single photon detectors can be mitigated obviously, which will lower the quantum bit error rate, and thus improve the performance of decoy-state BB84 QKD systems in long distance range. Simulation results show that, with practical experimental system parameters, decoy-state BB84 QKD with QM can exhibit performance comparable to that of without QM in short distance range, and exhibit performance better than that without QM in long distance range.