Machine Learning Algorithms for Big Data Applications With Policy Implementation

This article examines the policy implementation literature using a text mining technique, known as a structural topic model (STM), to conduct a comprehensive analysis of 547 articles published by 11 major journals between 2000 and 2019. The subject analyzed was the policy implementation literature, and the search included titles, keywords, and abstracts. The application of the STM not only allowed us to provide snapshots of different research topics and variation across covariates but also let us track the evolution and influence of topics over time. Examining the policy implementation literature has contributed to the understanding of public policy areas; the authors also provided recommendations for future studies in policy implementation.

Mermaids

Women with fish tails are among the oldest and still most popular of mythological creatures, possessing a powerful allure and compelling ambiguity. They dwell right in the uncanniest valley of the sea: so similar to humans, yet profoundly other. Mermaids: Art, Symbolism and Mythology presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary and beautifully illustrated study of mermaids and their influence on Western culture. The roots of mermaid mythology and its metamorphosis through the centuries are discussed with examples from visual art, literature, music and architecture—from 600 BCE right up to the present day. Our story starts in Mesopotamia, source of the earliest preserved illustrations of half-human, half-fish creatures. The myths and legends of the Mesopotamians were incorporated and adopted by ancient Greek, Etruscan and Roman cultures. Then, during the early medieval period, ancient mythological creatures such as mermaids were confused, transformed and reinterpreted by Christian tradition to begin a new strand in mermaid lore. Along the way, all manner of stunning—and sometimes bizarre or unsettling—depictions of mermaids emerged. Written in an accessible and entertaining style, this book challenges conventional views of mermaid mythology, discusses mermaids in the light of evolutionary theory and aims to inspire future studies of these most curious of imaginary creatures.

A preliminary study of improving the MICP effects via the extractions from seashell nacre

In microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) process, it is the precipitated CaCO3 that cements loose sand particles together to improve their mechanical properties. Seashell nacre composed of CaCO3 is a natural product, which is worth researching for its great hardness, strength, and toughness. However, there is no study connecting this natural nacre mineralization with MICP. Therefore, a precedent herein is established to modify the MICP process via the water-soluble matrix (WSM) extracted from nacre, where WSM contributes to the great mechanical properties of nacre. Correspondingly, this study examines the effects of WSM with different concentrations on urease activity and strength as well as microstructure of bio-cemented sand samples. The experimental results show that a small number of WSM (50mg/L) can improve the average strength of bio-cemented sand samples 1.5 times. This is because 50mg/L WSM can significantly improve the urease activity of bacteria meanwhile increasing the Ca2+ utilization rate. Thus, more CaCO3 crystals are precipitated, and the higher UCS of bio-cemented sand samples is achieved. Moreover, the XRD results indicate that the precipitated CaCO3 is almost calcite, and only a little aragonite is detected when the concentration of WSM increases to 100mg/L. Additionally, the SEM images demonstrate that WSM involvement can affect the shapes and sizes of CaCO3 crystals. Overall, this work is an unprecedented exploration imitating nacre that hopefully paves way for future studies.

Motor Variability in Complex Gesture Learning: Effects of Movement Sonification and Musical Background

With the increasing interest in movement sonification and expressive gesture-based interaction, it is important to understand which factors contribute to movement learning and how. We explore the effects of movement sonification and users’ musical background on motor variability in complex gesture learning. We contribute an empirical study in which musicians and non-musicians learn two gesture sequences over three days, with and without movement sonification. Results show the interlaced interaction effects of these factors and how they unfold in the three-day learning process. For gesture 1, which is fast and dynamic with a direct “action-sound” sonification, movement sonification induces higher variability for both musicians and non-musicians on day 1. While musicians reduce this variability to a similar level as no auditory feedback condition on day 2 and day 3, non-musicians remain to have significantly higher variability. Across three days, musicians also have significantly lower variability than non-musicians. For gesture 2, which is slow and smooth with an “action-music” metaphor, there are virtually no effects. Based on these findings, we recommend future studies to take into account participants’ musical background, consider longitudinal study to examine these effects on complex gestures, and use awareness when interpreting the results given a specific design of gesture and sound.

The Relationship of Child Labor and Globalization in the Philippines

The problem of child labor has long been studied by economists, and most of it focuses on the microeconomic perspective. For this study, the researchers have decided to shift their focus to macroeconomic analysis. This study focuses on the effects of globalization and economic growth on the prevalence of child labor in the Philippines, mainly focusing on globalization, by using time-series analysis. Studies suggested that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between globalization and child labor in developing countries, while other studies have determined a U-shaped relationship. The findings of this study reveal that there is no U-shape relationship between the variables but instead follows a linear relationship between globalization and child labor in the Philippine context. However, the lack of data and research publication on a national scale could influence the empirical results. Furthermore, this research can be used as literature in future studies.

The Social Life of Pigs: Changes in Affiliative and Agonistic Behaviors following Mixing

This study investigated potentially affiliative behaviors in grow-finish pigs, how these behaviors changed over time and their relationship to agonistic behaviors. A total of 257 Yorkshire barrows were observed for agonistic (reciprocal fights, attacks) and affiliative (nosing, play, non-agonistic contact) behaviors after mixing (at 10 weeks of age), and weeks 3, 6, and 9 after mix. The least square means of affiliative behaviors were compared across time points. Relationships among affiliative and agonistic behaviors were assessed using generalized linear mixed models. Non-agonistic contact with conspecifics increased until week 6 then remained stable between weeks 6 and 9. Nosing was highest at mix, then decreased in the following weeks. Play was lowest at mix and highest at week 3. Affiliative behaviors were negatively related with aggression at mix (p < 0.001). Pigs who engaged in play and nosing behaviors were more likely to be involved in agonistic interactions in the weeks after mixing (p < 0.05), while pigs engaging in non-agonistic contact were less likely to be involved in agonistic interactions (p < 0.001). There appear to be relationships between affiliative and agonistic behaviors in pigs, with contact being the most predictive of less aggression. Future studies could focus on promoting positive non-agonistic contact in unfamiliar pigs as a way to mitigate aggressive interactions.

Meaning and structural dynamics in poetry: a computational perspective

This work addresses Sri Aurobindo’s mantric poem, Savitri, with a computational linguistics approach. This is one of the longest poems ever written in English. We build the connectivity matrix between all main word pairs and analyse its structure. Concepts emerge as directions that better explain the variance of the data in the hyperspace of words. When projected to the low dimensional space of concepts, the vector of attention as the reader moves through the text shows a large correlation across sections of the poem, thus acting the future and the past over again. These findings suggest that the mathematical structure of Savitri is and reflects a substrate for the author’s main ideas, facilitating the reader’s understanding of the poem’s meaning via its long-range dynamical correlations. Acknowledging an irreducible essence to poetry, future studies on the relationship between words and sounds, and sounds and ideas may provide invaluable hints of the origin of language and its intimate relationship with the evolution of human consciousness.

Review: The Effects of Supersonic Aviation on Ozone and Climate

When working towards regulation of supersonic aviation, a comprehensive understanding of the global climate effect of supersonic aviation is required in order to develop future regulatory issues. Such research requires a comprehensive overview of existing scientific literature having explored the climate effect of aviation. This review article provides an overview on earlier studies assessing the climate effects of supersonic aviation, comprising non-CO2 effects. An overview on the historical evaluation of research focussing on supersonic aviation and its environmental impacts is provided, followed by an overview on concepts explored and construction of emission inventories. Quantitative estimates provided for individual effects are presented and compared. Subsequently, regulatory issues related to supersonic transport are summarised. Finally, requirements for future studies, e.g., in emission scenario construction or numerical modelling of climate effects, are summarised and main conclusions discussed.

"Challenges of using educational platforms and suggestions to address them from the perspective of first-field students at Al Sharqiyah University, Sultanate of Oman"

The study aimed to explore the challenges of using educational platforms and proposals to address them from the point of view of the third-year students at Al-Sharqiya University. The descriptive approach was used on a sample of the third-year students at Al-Sharqiya University in the specialization of the first field, consisting of (100) students. The study tool consisted of a two-axis questionnaire to identify the challenges of Use of educational platforms and proposals to address them. The study concluded that among the main challenges of students' use of educational platforms are weak Internet networks and their lack of coverage in some places, some students not having their own computers, and the lack of technical support when needed. The results showed that among the proposals to address the challenges are the following: Strengthening internet networks in some areas and making them available for free for educational purposes, and providing personal computers for students who need them at subsidized prices and an easy payment method, in addition to providing the necessary technical support through the establishment of a special platform that includes answering questions directly, as well as educating students about the harms of staying long hours in front of electronic devices. The results of this study were discussed in the light of latest reviewed literature followed by recommendations and suggestions for future studies and investigations.