Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ATTITUDES OF ILLINOIS AGRISCIENCE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS TOWARD AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

The purpose of this study was to describe the attitudes of Illinois secondary agriscience students and their parents toward the agricultural industry and educational programs in agriculture. Students were sampled based upon enrollment in science applications in agriculture courses. A corresponding number of parents was also selected (one parent per student). Results indicated that approximately 90% of both students and parents perceived the science applications in agriculture courses to be of ‘Excellent” or “Good” quality. Both students andparents reportedpositive attitudes toward agriculture as a career field and toward agricultural technologies. Each expressed views classified as “uncertain " toward educationalprograms in agriculture, although each rated high school agriculture and science programs as high in quality. Students enrolled in BSAA/PSAA courses (and their parents) expressed more positive attitudes toward each of the constructs than did students and parents from the general population. Likewise, students ' attitudes toward agriculture as a career field agricultural technologies, and educational programs in agriculture were more positive if they rated the quality of the science applications in agriculture courses high. Whereas students expressed positive attitudes toward careers in agriculture, parents were reluctant to recommend those careers.
Shaping Gestures to Shape Personality: Big-Five Traits, Godspeed Scores and the Similarity-Attraction Effect

This paper explores the role of personality as a mediation variable between observable behaviour of a robot - in this case, gestures of different energy and spatial extension - and the experience of its users according to the Godspeed questionnaire, a standard instrument for gathering subjective ratings of human-robot interaction. The results show that the personality traits that the users attribute to a robot are, to a certain extent, predictive of the subjective scores, i.e., of the quality of the interaction they have with it. Furthermore, the experiments show that 15 of the 30 observers involved in the experiments tend to like the robot more when they attribute traits to it that more similar to their own. The observation that only part of the observers display such a tendency - known as similarity-attraction effect - might explain why previous investigations of the same phenomenon have provided contradictory results.
Intrinsic Newton’s Method on Oblique Manifolds for Overdetermined Blind Source Separation

This paper studies the problem of Overdetermined Blind Source Separation (OdBSS), a challenging problem in signal processing. It aims to recover desired sources from outnumbered observations without knowing either the source distributions or the mixing process. It is well-known that performance of standard BSS algorithms, which usually utilize a whitening step as a pre-process to reduce the dimensionality of observations, might be seriously limited due to its blind trust on the data covariance matrix. In this paper, we develop efficient OdBSS algorithms without dimensionality reduction. In particular, our algorithms solve a problem of simultaneous diagonalization of a set of symmetric matrices. By exploiting the appropriate underlying manifold, namely the so-called oblique manifold, intrinsic Newton’s method is developed to optimize two popular cost functions for the simultaneous diagonalization of symmetric matrices, i.e., the off-norm function and the log- likelihood function. Performance of the proposed algorithms is investigated by several numerical experiments.
Potential of hybrid V/P SPECT–low-dose CT in lung diagnostics

Summary Ventilation/perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (V/P SPECT), is the scintigraphic technique of choice for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) and other conditions that affect lung function. In the study of ventilation, hydrophobic radioaerosol Technegas shows advantages over radiolabelled liquid aerosols because of its more even distribution and better peripheral penetration; this is very important in patients with COPD. Macro-aggregated human albumin is the imaging agent for perfusion scintigraphy. V/P SPECT is recommended as a one-day protocol and the whole study is conducted in 20 minutes under a gamma camera. An optimal combination of nuclide activities for ventilation and perfusion, general purpose collimators and a 64×64 imaging matrix yields an adequate sensitivity and ensures that radiation doses are kept very low. It is important that the patient remains in an unchanged supine position to allow reconstructed images of matching ventilation and perfusion slices in all projections as well as in rotating volume images. Probabilistic interpretation applied earlier for planar technique is replaced by a holistic interpretation strategy. This has resulted in a decrease in the number of nondiagnostic findings to less than 3%. To reduce costs and radiation exposure, pre-imaging assessment of clinical probability is recommended. PE is diagnosed when there is more than one subsegment showing a ventilation/perfusion mismatch conforming to an anatomic vascular lung unit. Apart from PE, other pathologies should be identified and reported, e.g. COPD, heart failure and pneumonia. Comparison of V/P SPECT with multidetector CT (MDCT) showed higher sensitivity for V/P SPECT, similar specificity and a similar number of nondiagnostic findings. The advantage of V/P SPECT is a 25-times lower absorbed radiation dose to the female breast and its applicability to all patients. The advantage of MDCT is its wider availability. Hybrid SPECT/CT imaging is a novel technique primarily developed to improve sensitivity and specificity of oncological diseases and it is not recommended as the primary tool for PE diagnosis in all patients with suspected PE. The application of SPECT/CT may be relevant in the case of COPD patients where small tumours may be identified as part of the diagnosis; in addition, it may help in the classification of COPD degree. Aims To increase awareness of the importance of optimal V/P SPECT and familiarity with the procedure. To explain the value of the new holistic, as opposed to probabilistic, interpretation in the diagnosis of PE. To show how the quantification of ventilation/perfusion defects can be used to define patient-specific treatments. To understand the role of V/P SPECT scintigraphy in other cardiopulmonary diseases, in addition to PE. To outline the pros and cons of angio-CT and V/P SPECT in the diagnosis of PE. To introduce the role of V/P SPECT and low-dose CT hybrid system in patients with suspected PE.
Randomized trials of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/r+dasabuvir±ribavirin vs telapre- vir+pegIFN/ribavirin in adults with genotype 1 HCV

Gregory J. Dore, Brian Conway, Yan Luo, Ewa Janczewska, Brygida Knysz, Yan Liu, Adrian Streinu-Cercel, Florin Alexandru Caruntu, Manuela Curescu, Richard Skoien, Wayne Ghesquiere, Wlodzimierz Mazur, Alejandro Soza, Francisco Fuster, Susan Greenbloom, Adriana Motoc, Victoria Arama, David Shaw, Istvan Tornai, Joseph Sasadeusz, Olav Dalgard, Danielle Sullivan, Xuan Liu, Mudra Kapoor, Andrew Campbell, Thomas Podsadecki
Study the release kinetics of curcumin released from PVA/curcumin composites and its evaluation towards hepatocarcinoma

The polymer composites based on Polyvinyl alcohol loaded with different concentrations of commercial curcumin were prepared to be applied forcontrolled release drug delivery system to overcome the growth promotion of tumor cells.The prepared composites were subjected to drug release in aqueous media at room temperature. It was found that the amount of the released curcumin changed according to different pHmedia and the concentration of theloaded drug onto the polymer carrier. The diffusion coefficient of the released curcumin from the prepared composites was found to be 2.739X10-2, 1.638X10-2, and 5.777X10-4 in basic, acidic and neutral solution respectively according to Higuch's equation. The results of the in/vitro cytotoxic activity of the released curcumin showed sustained antiproliferative potency up to 30 % growth inhibition against the human liver cancer cell line (HEPG2) which extended to 25 days.
Image and Video Matting: A Survey

Matting refers to the problem of accurate foreground estimation in images and video. It is one of the key techniques in many image editing and film production applications, thus has been extensively studied in the literature. With the recent advances of digital cameras, using matting techniques to create novel composites or facilitate other editing tasks has gained increasing interest from both professionals as well as consumers. Consequently, various matting techniques and systems have been proposed to try to efficiently extract high quality mattes from both still images and video sequences. This survey provides a comprehensive review of existing image and video matting algorithms and systems, with an emphasis on the advanced techniques that have been recently proposed. The first part of the survey is focused on image matting. The fundamental techniques shared by many image matting algorithms, such as color sampling methods and matting affinities, are first analyzed. Image matting techniques are then classified into three categories based on their underlying methodologies, and an objective evaluation is conducted to reveal the advantages and disadvantages of each category. A unique Accuracy vs. Cost analysis is presented as a practical guidance for readers to properly choose matting tools that best fit their specific requirements and constraints. The second part of the survey is focused on video matting. The difficulties and challenges of video matting are first analyzed, and various ways of combining matting algorithms with other video processing techniques for building efficient video matting systems are reviewed. Key contributions, advantages as well as limitations of important systems are summarized. Finally, special matting systems that rely on capturing additional foreground/background information to automate the matting process are discussed. A few interesting directions for future matting research are presented in the conclusion.
Compression Strength and Modulus of Elasticity Parallel to the Grain of Oak Wood at Ultra-low and High Temperatures

The influence of temperature on the compression strength (fc0) in the range of -196 oC to +220 oC, and compression modulus of elasticity (Ec0) parallel to the grain of oak (Quercus mongolica Fisch et Turcz.) wood in the range of -196 oC to +23 oC were studied. Five specimens were prepared for each temperature level. The specimens were kept at each temperature level for 30 min before a mechanical test was performed in an adjustable-temperature chamber. The results indicated that there were four different failure patterns, depending on the temperature range. When the temperature was decreased from +23 oC to -196 oC, the fc0 and Ec0 of wood increased by 283.91% and 146.30%, respectively. The relationships between fc0 and temperature and between Ec0 and temperature could be described by a linear and a polynomial model, respectively. Moreover, the Ec0 could be used to predict fc0 using a polynomial model. However, when the temperature was increased from +23 oC to +220 oC, the fc0 decreased by 67%, indicating a non-linear relationship.
responses during the Gaza War Intergroup anger in intractable conflict : Long-term sentiments predict anger

Anger is one of the most common and destructive emotions in intergroup conflicts, frequently leading to an escalation of intergroup aggression. Prior research has focused on short-term antecedents of intergroup anger, typically using laboratory paradigms. We hypothesized that the long-term sentiment of anger (a broad predisposition that is unrelated to a particular action) would predict subsequent anger responses to provocation. We further hypothesized that this effect would be mediated by appraisals of unfairness of the Palestinians’ behavior during the war––one of the core appraisal themes associated with anger. To test this prediction, we used a unique two-wave nationwide representative panel design (n = 501) conducted in Israel during the last war in Gaza. Results showed that the long-term sentiment of anger towards Palestinians (and not general negative affect), measured 13 months prior to the Gaza War, predicted participants’ anger responses towards the Palestinians during the war. Furthermore, we found that the effects of long-term anger sentiments were mediated by the participants’ current appraisals of unfairness Palestinian behavior.
Length, strength and water flow: relative importance of wave and current exposure on morphology in kelp Laminaria hyperborea

Water flow is a strong determinant of kelp growth, but it is also a stress factor causing breakage and dislodgement. As wave exposure and currents differ with respect to flow pattern, the 2 forces are expected to affect kelp morphology differently. We investigated how wave expo- sure and current speed interact and influence kelp Laminaria hyperborea morphology. We sam- pled thalli from 27 stations on the Midwest coast of Norway and recorded age, and length- and strength-related characters. We found that high wave exposure and current speed influenced holdfast biomass and stipe thickness. Wave exposure had, overall, a stronger effect than current speed. An increase in current speed seemed to have a considerable effect at low wave exposure levels, but the relationship weakened at high wave exposure levels. The length-related ('go with the flow') characters thallus and stipe length were influenced by wave induced water flow but not by current speed. Differences in wave exposure and current speed had very weak influences on lamina biomass and length. Thus, the proportion of the thallus being lamina was high in the most sheltered areas and decreased as the wave exposure increased. Our study suggests that the strong, orbital and stochastic mode of wave exposure has a different and stronger effect as a stressor than the more regular and bidirectional stress caused by currents.
Spectroscopic investigations of rotating gold nanorods in an optical trap

Due to their extraordinary plasmonic properties, gold nanorods are prime candidates for a variety of sensory, biomedical, spectroscopic, and data storage applications. Recent studies have demonstrated that gold nanorods trapped by optical tweezers can function as nanoscopic rotary motors driven by scattering induced optical torques. The system holds promise for applications within numerous fields, ranging from nano/microfluidic flow control and nanorobotics to sensing and DNA manipulation. However, for many proposed applications, understanding and controlling the photothermal effects associated with laser trapping is crucial. The reason being that they could lead to a number of unwanted effects, but could also be interesting and useful in their own right. To deduce how photothermal effects such as heating, reshaping, and possibly bubble formation affect the particle, spectroscopic investigations on trapped rotating gold nanorods were performed. An optical setup was constructed which included circularly polarized laser tweezers, dark-field illumination, photon correlation spectroscopy, video microscopy, and a free-space coupled grating spectrometer. The setup allowed continuous real-time measurements of scattering spectra and rotational dynamics of individual monocrystalline gold nanorods at high resolution over extended periods of time. Through continuous tracking of plasmon resonance shifts and rotational dynamics of trapped particles, a number of important effects were observed. These included changes in the refractive index of the water surrounding, nanoparticle reshaping effects and bubble generation. Moreover, it was found that by using a small collection fiber information about translational Brownian motion of the trapped particle is detectable in the autocorrelation signal. The results presented in this thesis shed light on thermal processes on the nanoscale and will be useful in evaluating the applicability and performance of nanorod motors for possible future applications.
Investigating Intervention Components and Exploring States of Receptivity for a Smartphone App to Promote Physical Activity: Protocol of a Microrandomized Trial

Background Smartphones enable the implementation of just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs) that tailor the delivery of health interventions over time to user- and time-varying context characteristics. Ideally, JITAIs include effective intervention components, and delivery tailoring is based on effective moderators of intervention effects. Using machine learning techniques to infer each user’s context from smartphone sensor data is a promising approach to further enhance tailoring. Objective The primary objective of this study is to quantify main effects, interactions, and moderators of 3 intervention components of a smartphone-based intervention for physical activity. The secondary objective is the exploration of participants’ states of receptivity, that is, situations in which participants are more likely to react to intervention notifications through collection of smartphone sensor data. Methods In 2017, we developed the Assistant to Lift your Level of activitY (Ally), a chatbot-based mobile health intervention for increasing physical activity that utilizes incentives, planning, and self-monitoring prompts to help participants meet personalized step goals. We used a microrandomized trial design to meet the study objectives. Insurees of a large Swiss insurance company were invited to use the Ally app over a 12-day baseline and a 6-week intervention period. Upon enrollment, participants were randomly allocated to either a financial incentive, a charity incentive, or a no incentive condition. Over the course of the intervention period, participants were repeatedly randomized on a daily basis to either receive prompts that support self-monitoring or not and on a weekly basis to receive 1 of 2 planning interventions or no planning. Participants completed a Web-based questionnaire at baseline and postintervention follow-up. Results Data collection was completed in January 2018. In total, 274 insurees (mean age 41.73 years; 57.7% [158/274] female) enrolled in the study and installed the Ally app on their smartphones. Main reasons for declining participation were having an incompatible smartphone (37/191, 19.4%) and collection of sensor data (35/191, 18.3%). Step data are available for 227 (82.8%, 227/274) participants, and smartphone sensor data are available for 247 (90.1%, 247/274) participants. Conclusions This study describes the evidence-based development of a JITAI for increasing physical activity. If components prove to be efficacious, they will be included in a revised version of the app that offers scalable promotion of physical activity at low cost. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03384550; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03384550 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/74IgCiK3d) International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/11540
Methods and Applications of Deoxygenation for the Conversion of Biomass to Petrochemical Products

© 2013 Gunawardena and Fernando, licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Methods and Applications of Deoxygenation for the Conversion of Biomass to Petrochemical Products
The REDD+ policy arena in Vietnam: participation of policy actors

Reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+) has gained increasing global attention because of its potential to reduce carbon emissions and improve forest governance. Reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation requires successful inclusive decision making and accountability. However, there have been limited empirical studies that examine the effectiveness of the current participatory mechanism used in REDD+. Our research analyzes the participation of policy actors in the development of the REDD+ instrument in Vietnam. We are interested in how the political context and the different interests of actors influence the degree of participation in national REDD+ policy decision making. We explored participation through the analysis of the mechanisms, e.g., how actors involve and participate in decision making, and dynamics of participation, e.g., highly centralized policy event vs. donor led event. The study aims to answer three research questions: (1) Who is involved in national REDD+ policy making and what are their interests in participating in core political events? (2) What level of participation do the different political actors have in core political events? and (3) To what extent do the outcomes, e.g., regulations and strategies, of REDD+ policy events incorporate different preferences of policy actors? Our findings highlighted the dominant role of government agencies in REDD+ policy making, which leaves limited political space for nonstate actors, e.g., NGOs and civil society organizations (CSOs), in Vietnam to exert an influence on the final policy outputs. Even in this highly centralized context, however, we found evidence to suggest that some political space in decision making is given to nonstate actors. Within this space, such actors are able to propose alternative policy options. Ensuring inclusive decision making and accountability in the Vietnam context requires a shift in current governance from traditional top-down approaches to a more participatory form of decision making.
Scoring Rules for Adaptive Multi-stage Questions

Strictly Proper Scoring Rules (SPSRs) are typically designed to work with single questions. When applied to sequences of questions, one is restricted to deterministic question lists or strong assumptions of independence. We analyze the behavior of SPSRs when future questions are selected based on answers to present questions and show that in some cases they incentivize dishonesty. We propose a class of SPSRs called Joint-SPSRs which maximize the expected reward when all questions are answered honestly, even when future question selection depends on past answers. We propose one such rule, the Multiplicative Quadratic Scoring Rule and prove its correctness.
SURVEY ON POWER OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR LOW POWER VLSI CIRCUIT

CMOS technology is the key element in the development of VLSI systems since it consumes less power. Power optimization has become an overridden concern in deep submicron CMOS technologies. Due to shrink in the size of device, reduction in power consumption and over all power management on the chip are the key challenges. For many designs power optimization is important in order to reduce package cost and to extend battery life. In power optimization leakage also plays a very important role because it has significant fraction in the total power dissipation of VLSI circuits. This paper aims to elaborate the developments and advancements in the area of power optimization of CMOS circuits in deep submicron region. This survey will be useful for the designer for selecting a suitable technique depending upon the requirement.