Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimization and kinetics of oxalic acid treatment of feldspar for removing the iron oxide impurities

ABSTRACT The presence of iron impurity in feldspar lowers its commercial value due to imparting unwanted colors to the final products. This study concerns the dissolution of iron from an Iranian feldspar using oxalic acid as the leaching agent. In this regard, initial tests were conducted to fix primary parameters at the best values: pH, 2; agitation rate, 1000 rpm; particle size, −150 µm, and to find the suitable range of acid concentration. Then, using a central composite experimental design, the optimum condition (85% iron removal) was obtained at 70°C, 5% pulp density, 20 g/l oxalic acid, and time of 90 min. The iron dissolution kinetics was investigated within 40–80°C and showed a reasonable match with the shrinking core model with a mixed control mechanism. The activation energy was calculated as 28.61 kJ/mol at 80°C. Two- and three-stage leaching experiments were also performed using a baffled reactor at different pulp densities of 5–25%. Iron removal at the highest pulp density was improved from 36% at the first to about 72% at the third stage that indicates oxalic acid leaching can be industrially implemented as an efficient method for removing iron from feldspars.
Hierarchical Attention Networks for Cyberbullying Detection on the Instagram Social Network

Cyberbullying has become one of the most pressing online risks for young people and has raised serious concerns in society. Emerging literature identifies cyberbullying as repetitive temporal acts rather than one-off incidents. Yet, there has been relatively little work to model the hierarchical structure of social media sessions and the temporal dynamics of cyberbullying in online social network sessions. We propose a hierarchical attention network for cyberbullying detection that takes these aspects of cyberbullying into account. The primary distinctive characteristics of our approach include: (i) a hierarchical structure that mirrors the structure of a social media session; (ii) two levels of attention mechanisms applied to the word and comment level, enabling the model to pay different amount of attention to words and comments dependent on the context; and (iii) a cyberbullying detection task that also predicts the interval of time between two adjacent comments. This allows the model to exploit the commonalities and differences across these two tasks to improve the performance of cyberbullying detection. Experiments on a real-world dataset from Instagram, the social media platform on which the highest percentage of users have reported experiencing cyberbullying, reveal that the proposed architecture outperforms the state-of-the-art method.
Comparison of Physician-Rating and Self-Rating Scales for Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract Physician-rating scales remain the standard in antidepressant clinical trials. The current study aimed to examine the discrepancies between physician-rating scales and self-rating scales for symptoms and functioning, before and after treatment, in newly hospitalized patients. A total of 131 acutely ill inpatients with major depressive disorder were enrolled to receive 20 mg of fluoxetine daily for 6 weeks. Symptom severity and functioning were assessed at baseline and again at week 6. Symptom severity was rated using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) and the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (ZDS). Functioning was measured by the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS). Pearson correlation coefficients (r) between HDRS-17 and ZDS and between GAF and WSAS were calculated at week 0 and week 6. Sensitivity to change was measured using effect sizes. One-hundred twelve patients completed the 6-week trial. After 6 weeks of treatment, correlations between HDRS-17 and ZDS or correlations between GAF and WSAS became larger from baseline to end point. All correlations were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Effect sizes measured by physician-rating scales (ie, HDRS-17 and GAF) were larger than by self-rating scales (ie, ZDS and WSAS). Correlations between baseline physician-rating scale scores and self-rating scale scores improved after 6 weeks of treatment. Physician-rating scales had larger effect sizes than self-rating scales. Physician-rating scales were more sensitive in detecting symptom or functional changes than self-rating scales.
Analysis of threshold currents during microstimulation of fibres in the spinal cord.

W. J. Roberts and D. O. Smith. Analysis of threshold currents during micro-stimulation of fibres in the spinal cord. Acta physiol. scand. 1973. 89. 384- 394. Fillies within the dorsal spinocerebellar tract of the cat were stimulated with current pulses from a mirroelertrode. With precise tracking, single nodes of Rainier of a fibre could be localized and the current required for activation studied as a function of the electrode position. The threshold stimulus amplitude was found to increase nonlinearly with distance from the node. The rate of increase in threshold was found to be less pronounced when the position of the electrode tip was changed axially rather than transversely to the node. The rates of increase with distance tended to decrease as the estimated fibre diameter became larger.
Incidence of urea-hydrolyzing Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Willapa Bay, Washington

A high incidence (71.5%) of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was found in samples of water, oysters, and sediment from a Washington State estuary which produces a significant amount of commercial product. Strains of V. parahaemolyticus capable of hydrolyzing urea comprised 58.4% of all V. parahaemolyticus isolates tested. Values for fecal coliforms were within certification criteria for commercial harvest and were not correlated with levels of V. parahaemolyticus.
Proliferative and apoptotic effects of gastric epithelial cells induced by coccoid Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori exhibit morphology convertion in a spiral or coccoid form. This study aims to reveal the impact of coccoid H. pylori on the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric epithelial cells. The cagA and vacA genes of H. pylori were detected by semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR. Proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed by the CCK‐8 colorimetric method and TUNEL assay, respectively. Egr‐1 mRNA and PCNA expression affected by the ERK1/2‐specific inhibitor were detected by RT‐PCR and immunochemistry. At low density of infection (MOI < 125:1), coccoid H. pylori exerted a stronger effect on proliferation and a weaker effect on apoptosis than did spiral form. The ERK1/2‐specific inhibitor significantly blocked the increased expression in Egr‐1 and PCNA induced by coccoid H. pylori. Expression of vacA and cagA in coccoid H. pylori decreased compared with the spiral form, whereas vacA decreased more than cagA. The difference of proliferation and apoptosis may be related to the unequal decreased expression of vacA and cagA in coccoid H. pylori. Activation of the ERK1/2‐Egr‐1‐PCNA signal transduction pathway may play an important role in coccoid H. pylori‐induced cell proliferation. Long latency of the coccoid form of H. pylori in gastric tissue may be associated with gastric cancer caused by H. pylori.
Dynamic generalisation of continuous action spaces in reinforcement learning : a neurally inspired approach

This thesis is about the dynamic generalisation of continuo us action spaces in reinforcement learning problems. The standard Reinforcement Learning (RL) account provides a principled and comprehensive means of optimising a scalar reward signal in a Ma rkov Decision Process. However, the theory itself does not directly address the imp erative issue of generalisation which naturally arises as a consequence of large or co ntinu us state and action spaces. A current thrust of research is aimed at fusing the ge n ralisation capabilities of supervised (and unsupervised) learning techniques with the RL theory. An example par excellence is Tesauro’s TD-Gammon. Although much effort has gone into researching ways to repre sent and generalise over the input space, much less attention has been paid to the acti on space. This thesis first considers the motivation for learning real-valued act ions, and then proposes a set of key properties desirable in any candidate algorithm a ddressing generalisation of both input and action spaces. These properties include: P rovision of adaptive and online generalisation, adherence to the standard theory wi th a central focus on estimating expected reward, provision for real-valued states a nd actions, and full support for a real-valued discounted reward signal. Of particular i nterest are issues pertaining to robustness in non-stationary environments, scalabilit y, and efficiency for real-time learning in applications such as robotics. Since exploring the action space is discovered to be a potentially costly process, the system should al so be flexible enough to enable maximum reuse of learned actions. A new approach is proposed which succeeds for the first time in addressing all of the key issues identified. The algorithm, which is based on the ub iquitous self-organising map, is analysed and compared with other techniques includi ng those based on the backpropagation algorithm. The investigation uncovers so me important implications of the differences between these two particular approaches with respect to RL. In particular, the distributed representation of the multi-laye r p rceptron is judged to be something of a double-edged sword offering more sophistica ted nd more scalable generalising power, but potentially causing problems in dy amic or non-equiprobable environments, and tasks involving a highly varying input-o put mapping. The thesis concludes that the self-organising map can be use d in conjunction with current RL theory to provide real-time dynamic representation and generalisation of continuous action spaces. The proposed model is shown to be reli able in non-stationary, unpredictable and noisy environments and judged to be uniqu e in addressing and satisfying a number of desirable properties identified as impor tant to a large class of RL problems.
Analysis of Two Novel Five-Phase Hybrid-Excitation Flux-Switching Machines for Electric Vehicles

In this paper, two five-phase hybrid-excitation flux-switching (HEFS) machines with different stator topologies are designed and analyzed with the identical stator outer diameters and stack lengths. The electromagnetic performances, including the conventional static characteristics, such as phase flux, back-EMF, inductance, cogging torque and electromagnetic torque, and so on, are presented first. Then, both the flux-strengthening and flux-weakening capabilities are evaluated in detail according to the electromagnetic torque characteristics under different field currents with the help of 2-D finite element analysis. The corresponding predictions and conclusions indicate that the U-core topology is preferred for the five-phase HEFS machines.
Development and validation of a disease extent index for Wegener's granulomatosis.

AIMS The quantitative assessment of disease extent (staging) and activity (grading) in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides is one prerequisite for the comparison of outcomes in different patient cohorts. We present a validation study of the Disease Extent Index (DEI). METHODS 66 patients with Wegener's granulomatosis were examined to assess the validity, reliability and sensitivity to change of the DEI. Correlation coefficients were calculated to estimate associations between DEI and BVAS (Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score), a previously established activity score, and between DEI and serological markers. RESULTS Among patients with active disease, DEI correlated significantly with cANCA titer (r = 0.46), leukocyte count (r = 0.38) and platelet count (r = 0.53). Among patients in remission, DEI correlated significantly with cANCA titer (r = 0.61), CRP (r = 0.47) and sIL2R (r = 0.47). Additionally, a high association of DEI and BVAS (r = 0.9) confirmed a rather high convergent validity. The effect size of DEI equals 2.37 standard deviation units and indicates a considerable change from active disease to remission. CONCLUSIONS The DEI is valid, reliable, easy, quick to perform and highly reproducible. Although it correlates with some surrogate markers of disease activity and the BVAS, the DEI quantifies different domains of the disease than the BVAS and should therefore be used in conjunction with the BVAS.
"Betting on the House": Value Creation by Insourcing at Crown Limited

While the outsourcing of information technology has featured heavily in IS research and practice, the alternative strategy of insourcing has received comparatively little attention. Insourcing is often regarded as the “default” or “do-nothing” scenario. In contrast, this paper explores insourcing as a conscious strategy requiring ongoing management to deliver successful business outcomes. This paper presents a single exploratory case study of insourcing at Crown Limited, an Australian-based international gaming company. It contributes to the literature on insourcing by identifying how Crown has oriented its IT function and processes to drive value from insourcing. This research suggests that insourcing is not about just replicating the practices of external suppliers at less cost. Rather, organisations that choose the insourcing path have alternate sources of value creation, by building on their close proximity to the business to drive innovation and new product growth, and the ability to match IT and business risk to control costs.
Organizational culture and the creation of a dynamic environment for knowledge sharing

In this paper the researchers introduced the concept of knowledge sharing as an important ingredient in a management success. Knowledge sharing (KS) is an approach in identifying, acquiring, applying, creating, developing, preserving and measuring the knowledge of the organization. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the knowledge sharing as a crucial component of the organizational knowledge dynamics, and the organizational barriers implementation in the business environment. This study was accomplished through questionnaires that surveyed (121) companies that are located in Abu Dhabi Emirate / United Arab Emirates (UAE). Findings revealed that organizational culture and top management attitudes which based on individual perception and a managerial style have a negative relationship with the perceived benefits of knowledge. Analyses show that management initiatives highlight the fact that not all of them are necessarily successful.
Optimum time-division in MIMO two-way decode-and-forward relaying systems

We consider a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) two-way relaying system, where two wireless terminals exchange data via a half-duplex decode-and-forward (DF) relay. The problem of optimum time-division (TD) between the multiple access (MAC) phase and the broadcast (BRC) phase is addressed in this paper. We characterize the achievable rate regions with optimum TD strategies between the two phases for the following two cases: one is under peak power constraint and the other is under average power constraint. The simulation results show that the achievable rate regions with optimum TD strategies are much larger than those with equal TD strategy. Furthermore, the ergodic sum rates of the system using optimum and equal TD strategies are compared for different antenna configurations.
Cost comparison of illness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia syndrome

Musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent and expensive diseases. This study was conducted to estimate and compare the costs of illness of three musculoskeletal conditions. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), knee osteoarthritis (OA), and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) who referred to a rheumatologist completed questionnaires about their socio-demographic condition, clinical status, and the costs of their disease (direct costs included visits, laboratory tests, imaging, and medications; indirect costs included absence from paid work, functional inability, and paid and nonpaid household help) in the preceding year. Statistical analyses were performed by descriptive analysis, and one way ANOVA and chi-square test were used for the comparison of three groups using SPSS ver 20. A p-value
INVESTIGATION STUDENTS’ INTENSIVE LISTENING THROUGH CALL (COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING) IN EFL CLASSROOM

Listening is known as the process of identifying the sound sequences and also the process of identifying the component of sounds, whereby the words is known (Asemota, 2015). It can be seen as the process which is not only involving the process of hearing the sounds and noises, it also include identifying, understanding and interpreting spoken languages (Harrowoth, 1966, as cited in Asemota, 2015). In teaching and learning listening as foreign language using Intensive Listening usually relate to media. Media which have been used in teaching and learning foreign laguage is facilitated by technology, such as CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning). This research of this situation is essential to conduct by researcher because Intensive Listening is listening practice that most teacher use in the classroom as a basic learning skill by investigating the process of learning and practising in the classroom or Language Laboratory. The researcher used qualitative research approach because the data in qualitative approach indicated the phenomenon in the school. The result of this research found that listening activities is needed to be applied intensively because most of respondent argued that listening activities through CALL as media brought the atmosphere of the class being enjoy, fun, and interesting.
A Hybrid Evaluation Approach for the Emotional State of Information Systems Users

The Human-Computer Interaction community has been discussing ways to consider the user’s emotions while interacting with computers. Emotions are a complex phenomenon, are difficult to identify and measure and are linked to several components as cognitive aspects, subjective feelings, behavioral tendencies, physiological responses and motor expressions. In the literature, it is possible to identify various techniques, methods and tools for assessing the user’s emotional state. Considering the complexity of the subject, it is necessary to combine methods to minimize the detection of false positives in the evaluation of the user’s emotional state while interacting with information systems. This paper presents a hybrid approach based on the emotion model described by Scherer (1984), which allows designers to check whether the information system creates a positive, neutral or negative emotional reaction in the user. A feasibility study was conducted in which an emotional evaluation of a web system was performed based on a group of elderly users using tablet devices.
The effect of botulinum toxin A on skin flap survival in rats

This study examines the role of botulinum toxin type A (BoTA) in preventing the collapse of the peripheral vessels in the cutaneous flap and in increasing the survival of the flap. Because BoTA cleaves the SNAP‐25 protein, the release of vasoconstriction cotransmitters as well as acetylcholine would be blocked. Dorsal skin flaps in rats were elevated and returned to the original position. In the BoTA and the control group, either BoTA or saline was injected into the entire flap. The flap survival rate measurement and a histopathological examination were performed 1 week after flap elevation. The cutaneous blood flow was measured in three different areas of each flap, serially. In BoTA group, there was a significant increase in the survival rate (93.79 ± 6.06%, p=0.042). In the control group, the blood flow was decreased significantly immediately after flap elevation. The blood flow was high in all areas in the BoTA group in a week, and also most of the vessels maintained their shape without collapsing. In conclusion, pretreatment with BoTA increases the dorsal skin flap survival in rats by increased perfusion, and further studies should be performed to determine the possible mechanism by which BoTA attenuates the sympathetic vasoconstriction effect in skin flaps.
The triangulability of the orbit space of a differentiable transformation group

The purpose of this note is to prove the result as given in the title. The result was suggested to the author by Professor D. Montgomery to whom the author wishes to express his warmest thanks. By a differentiable manifold we mean a locally euclidean separable metric space on which there is a differentiable structure. I t may not be connected and its components may not be of the same dimension. If M is a differentiable manifold and G is a compact Lie group which acts differentiably on M, we call the pair (G, M) a differentiable transformation group. Let (G, M) be a differentiable transformation group. Whenever x(~Mt Gx denotes the isotropy group at x. Whenever H is a closed subgroup of G, (H) denotes the conjugate class of H in G and ikf<#) denotes the set {XÇZM\GX£. (H)}. I t is clear that GM <#) = ikf (#>. If A is a subset of M with G A « A, the space of the orbits in A is denoted by A/G. The natural projection of M onto M/G is denoted by P-
Risk factors and model for predicting toxicity‐related treatment discontinuation in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with vascular endothelial growth factor–targeted therapy: Results from the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)–targeted therapies are standard treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC); however, toxicities can lead to drug discontinuation, which can affect patient outcomes. This study was aimed at identifying risk factors for toxicity and constructing the first model to predict toxicity‐related treatment discontinuation (TrTD) in mRCC patients treated with VEGF‐targeted therapies.
Energy, Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability: Five Propositions

This paper advances five linked and controversial propositions that have both deep historical roots and urgent contemporary relevance. These are: (a) the rebound effects from energy efficiency improvements are significant and limit the potential for decoupling energy consumption from economic growth; (b) the contribution of energy to productivity improvements and economic growth has been greatly underestimated; (c) the pursuit of improved efficiency needs to be complemented by an ethic of sufficiency; (d) sustainability is incompatible with continued economic growth in rich countries; and (e) a zero-growth economy is incompatible with a fractional reserve banking system. These propositions run counter to conventional wisdom and each highlights either a "blind spot" or "taboo subject" that deserves closer scrutiny. While accepting one proposition reinforces the case for accepting the next, the former is neither necessary nor sufficient for the latter.
The effect of mergers on the incentive to invest in cost-reducing innovations

Both mergers and innovation are central elements of a firm's competitive strategy. However, model-theoretical analysis of the merger-innovation link is sparse. The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact of mergers on innovative activities and product market competition in the context of incremental process innovations. Inefficiencies due to organizational problems of mergers are accounted for. We show that optimal investment strategies depend on the resulting market structure and differ significantly from insider to outsider. In our linear model mergers turn out to increase social surplus.