Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Single image deblurring with or without face prior and its applications

OF THE DISSERTATION Single Image deblurring with or without face prior and its applications by Lin Zhong Dissertation Director: Dimitris Metaxas The motion blur is one of the most difficult challenges in photography, which is generated from the relative motion between the sensor and the scene during exposure time. These blur artifacts degrade the visual experience, and the performance of various applications, such as, object detection, facial analysis. Therefore, it is significant to remove the blur and restore sharp and clean images. Our work focuses on the general single image deblurring, and face image deblurring with face prior. State-of-the-art single image deblurring techniques are sensitive to image noise. Even a small amount of noise, which is inevitable in low-light conditions, can degrade the quality of blur kernel estimation dramatically. We propose a new method for handling noise in blind image deconvolution based on new theoretical and practical insights. Based on the observations on directional filter, our method applies a series of directional filters at different orientations to the input image, and estimates an accurate Radon transform of the blur kernel from each filtered image. Finally, we reconstruct the blur kernel using inverse Radon transform. Experimental results on synthetic and real data show that our algorithm achieves higher quality results than previous approaches on blurry and noisy images. The human face is one of the most essential focuses in numerous applications. Although
Women's Reproductive Health Seeking Behavior in Four Districts in Sana'a, Yemen: Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis

Background: In Yemen, inappropriate reproductive health seeking behaviour coupled with perceived low services quality and cultural barriers are contributing factors to inadequate services utilization and high maternal deaths. However, there are limited data in this regard. This study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic and services factors associated with reproductive health seeking behaviour and to explore respondents’ perception with regards to services’ utilization, accessibility and quality. Method: The quantitative study used a cross–sectional design and complex multistage probability sampling of 1678 women during January–March 2010 in Sana’a. The questionnaire addressed reproductive history, antenatal, obstetric, and post natal care. In the qualitative phase, eleven focus group discussions among 29 males and 75 females had been conducted. The informants had been approached through an interview guide. Inductive content analysis was used to explain and inform an alongside quantitative analysis. Results: The mean age at marriage was 17.6 (SD 3.5) years. The majority of women had professional antenatal care (97.7%). Home delivery was reported by half of the respondents. Eighty percent did not receive postnatal care. Family planning was encountered among 60.3%. The major reason for not using family planning was husband’s refusal. The qualitative inquiry explored: “consensus about the need for antenatal care with inconsistent views about such needs”; “different views about the effectiveness of the labor services”; “inconsistencies about the side effects of family planning methods;” “women and men differently view the family planning decision maker”; “distance from the health facility determines its use”; and “health education: from not existing to good services”. Conclusion: Women’s reproductive health seeking behaviour appears far from optimum. Future intention for home delivery and unskilled childbirth was highly indicated. Inadequate awareness and decision making were obvious. Effective measures need to be considered at the community and health sector level.
Modeling trajectories of long-term care needs at old age: A Japanese-Swedish comparison

A simulation model has been developed, which looks at the future state of functional limitations and provision of long-term care from the individual’s point of view and compares the prospects of Japanese and Swedish old persons. The model calculates the distribution on level of functional limitations combined with level of long-term care (LTC) for a 78-year-old man or woman after 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 years given the initial state expressed in those terms. Longitudinal data for the model has been taken from the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging (NUJLSOA) study, two waves three years apart, and the Swedish National Study of Aging and Care (SNAC) study, baseline and three-year follow up. Transition probabilities are calculated by relating individual states between waves. Changes over time are then calculated in the model by matrix multiplication using the Markov assumption. The results are in most respects similar for Japan and Sweden. A difference is that institutional care in Sweden is a much more definite stage reflecting differences in end-of-life care policy. Future state and mortality depends to a great degree on the initial state, both in terms of dependency and level of LTC. Thus, 78-year-old people who have no functional dependency and no LTC have a much higher probability of surviving the coming 10–15 years than people of the same age who already are dependent and in need of LTC services. Not a few of the initially independent 78-year-old persons will retain that state even after 15 years. However, the effect of the initial state seems to decrease over time.
Dynamics in coalescing critical layers

This article continues an exploration of instabilities of jets in two-dimensional, inviscid fluid on the beta-plane. At onset, for particular choices of the physical parameters, the normal modes responsible for instability have critical levels that coalesce along the axis of the jet. Matched asymptotic expansion (critical layer theory) is used to derive a reduced model describing the dynamics of these modes. Because the velocity profile is locally parabolic in the vicinity of the critical levels the dynamics is richer than in standard critical layer problems. The model captures the inviscid saturation of unstable modes, the excitation of neutral Rossby waves, and the decay of disturbances when there are no discrete normal modes. Inviscid saturation occurs when the vorticity distribution twists up into vortical structures that take the form of either a pair of ‘cat's eye’ patterns straddling the jet axis, or a single row of vortices. The addition of weak viscosity destroys these cat's eye structures and causes the critical layer to spread diffusively. The results are compared with numerical simulations of the governing equations.
Study of Langmuir Monolayers of Arachidic Acid on Saline Solutions Using Sum-frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy

In this report, we studied the effect of halide salt concentration on Arachidic Acid (AA) Langmuir monolayers formed on salt solutions, such as NaCl, NaI, NaF by using a SumFrequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy. In the SFG spectra, we observed the peak intensities of CH3FR and CH3SS vibrational modes decreased when increasing the salt concentration. This observation indicates that the structure of the AA monolayer was disordered by the interaction of the dissolved ions with the carboxyl head groups of the monolayer.
Angiographic Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients in a Tertiary Care Centre

Objective: Diabetes mellitus, a common metabolic disorder, is often associated with severe coronary artery disease. In this study, we compared the angiographic severity of coronary artery disease in diabetic patients compared with that of non diabetic patients. Methods: This observational study comprised of 102 subjects who had coronary artery disease on coronary angiography in the Department of Cardiology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2009 to December 2009. The patients were divided into two groups: one group with 24 (23.5%) diabetic patients and another group with 78 (76.5%) non diabetic patients. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and angiographic data were analyzed and compared between two groups. Results: Mean age±SD of the study subjects was 52.8±9.5 years and 94 (92%) of them were male. Diabetic patients were older (mean age±SD; 57.6±9.5 versus 51.3±9.9 years; p 004), and had higher frequency of hypertension (75% versus 50%, p 0.036), chronic stable angina (71% versus 41%, p 0.018), and lower frequency of smoking (42% versus 67%, p 0.034) and acute coronary syndrome (29% versus 59%; p 0.018) in comparison to non diabetic patients. Left main stem disease (21% versus 5%, p 0.031) and three-vessel disease (50% versus 31%, p 0.094) were more prevalent in diabetic patients. Severe coronary artery stenosis was significantly more present in diabetics than non diabetics (Gensini score, 50.9±29.9 versus 32.6±21.9, p 0.001). Conclusion: Diabetic patients are more likely to have severe and extensive coronary artery disease. Left main stem and triple vessel disease are more commonly seen in diabetic patients compared to non diabetic patients. University Heart Journal Vol. 10, No. 1, January 2014; 13-17
Coordination without Explicit Cooperation: Monetary-Fiscal Interactions in an Era of Demographic Change

Early work on the theory of economic policy stressed the importance of accounting for the interactions between fiscal and monetary policy. Tinbergen, and Cooper, taught us that there would be costs in missed targets, instability, and protracted imbalances if this was not done. Yet most models we use today treat fiscal or monetary policies as if they operated alone. This paper reviews the advantages of recognising those interactions.
Gender and leadership aspiration: the impact of organizational identification

Purpose Although nowadays more women occupy leadership roles, they still are a minority. Because aspiration is a precursor of advancement, examining conditions fostering female leadership aspiration is important. A neglected perspective is the impact of organizational identification. Identification can be argued to foster leadership aspiration because the essence of leadership is the pursuit of collective interests, and identification motivates such pursuits. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey design with an n=400 fulltime employed men and women, working for various organizations was selected. Findings The initial prediction was that identification is more important to women’s leadership aspiration to the extent that gender is associated with communal orientation, because women tend to have stronger communal orientation with associated greater affiliation needs, and organizational identification can be expected to cater to those needs. The communal orientation by organizational identification interactive influence on leadership aspiration was supported. Also, the indirect effect of gender on leadership aspiration via this interactive influence of communal orientation and organizational identification was supported. Research limitations/implications Due to the selected survey approach the data are correlational and as a result no reference to matters of causality can be made. Thus (field) experimental data is needed to confirm these findings. Practical implications Within the paper the discussion focuses on the importance of creating an environment that is more conducive to organizational identification and as such speaks to the communal orientation – being more pronounced among women – to act in favor of the organization by aspiring leadership positions. Originality/value The presented results depict an important step toward understanding how organizational identification and communal orientation interact and how they interact with women’s leadership aspiration.
Cinnamomi Aetheroleum, Energy Profile and Broiler Chickens’ Production Quality

We carried the experiment with broiler chickens. The experiment consisted of control and trial groups, containing different portions of Cinnamomi aetheroleum (0.1; 0.05; 0.025%) in feed mixtures. The triglycerides content in the blood serum was 0.69 mmol/l at 0.1% proportion of C innamomi aetheroleum, 0.64 mmol/l at 0.05% proportion and 0.70 mmol/l at 0.025% proportion of C innamomi aetheroleum. The differences of triglycerides content in the blood serum among groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). The glucose content in the blood serum of broiler chickens was 15.63 mmol/l at 0.1% proportion of C innamomi aetheroleum , 14.73 mmol/l at 0.05% proportion and 11.13 mmol/l at 0.025% proportion of C innamomi aetheroleum. The differences of glucose content in blood of broiler chickens were statistically significant among groups (P<0.05). The cholesterol content in the blood serum of broiler chickens was 4.20 mmol/l at 0.1% proportion of C innamomi aetheroleum , 3.71 mmol/l at 0.05% proportion and 3.50 mmol/l at 0.025% proportion of C innamomi aetheroleum. The differences of cholesterol content in blood of broiler chickens among groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). The effect of different proportions of Cinnamomi aetheroleum was not statistically significant (P0.05) to broilers body weight and fat content in meat.
Well-being and Quality of Working Life of University Professors in Brazil

This chapter presents a study about the perceptions on quality of working life (QWL) regarding factors and indicator in two public universities in Brazil. It aimed also to analyze their perceptions about university working conditions. This exploratory study is based on quantitative and qualitative analyses. A sample of 715 university professors participated on the research. Data collection was carried out in two steps: online survey and focus groups. There is a moderate negative correlation between psychological well-being and work-related stress. Emotional charge also presents a moderate positive cor- relation with work-related stress, as well as physical charge and psychological distress. Work-life balance is negatively correlated with physical charge, emotional charge, work-related stress, psychological distress, and burnout. We observed also that 43.6% of the professors reported high levels of work-related stress in their everyday work. The precariousness of university teaching is associated with three main elements, which we defined as the tripod of the precarization of university teaching work. It consists of academic productivism, excess of administrative work and bureaucratic activities, and inadequate working conditions. The operating dynamics of this tripod effect professors’ well-being, their QWL, and even the quality of the work they develop in public universities.
Comparison of Field Measurements and EMT Simulation Results on a Multi- Level STATCOM for Grid Integration of London Array Wind Power Plant

SUMMARY Simulation results are widely used in the design of electrical systems such as offshore wind power plants (OWPPs) and for determination of grid compliance. Measurements constitute an important part in the evaluation process of the OWPP, including passive and active components such as the static compensator (STATCOM). Quality measurement data allow the system designer to obtain real-life knowledge on the operating characteristics of the electrical component(s) for various operating scenarios of both the OWPP and the external grid. Furthermore, measurement data constitute an indispensable part of the evaluation of the simulation models of the OWPP components. The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate an electromagnetic transient (EMT) generic model of the modular multi-level cascaded converter (MMCC) STATCOM based on comparison with field measurements. For this purpose, measurement data have been acquired on a commercial ±50 MVAr state-of-the-art (SOA) MMCC STATCOM. The STATCOM is located at the point of common connection (PCC) at the world’s largest OWPP, London Array (LAOWPP). According to the authors’ knowledge, the presented paper will be the first of its kind to compare a detailed model of the STATCOM with actual field measurements for a commercial MMCC STATCOM. Furthermore, the paper offers the reader, being a researcher, transmission system operator, converter designer or a WPP developer etc., the unique opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the operating characteristics of the STATCOM for wind power integration, as well as of the validity of applying a generic model of the STATCOM without knowledge of the actual implemented control system. The proposed model is integrated into an aggregated EMT model of LAOWPP, which will be used to investigate possible resonance phenomena that will be shown in the paper to affect the harmonic distortion level. The STATCOM distortion level will be shown to be highly affected by the number of wind turbine generators (WTGs) in service. It will be shown that the inclusion of band rejection filters (BRFs) in the WTGs’ control loop lowers the STATCOM distortion level. It is found that the total inter-harmonic distortion (TIHD) index calculated according to IEC Standard 61000-4-7 is useful for assessing possible and undesired control interaction between the power electronic devices (PEDs) in OWPPs. The total harmonic distortion (THD) index, on the other hand, is found to contain very little information on possible PED controller interaction.
Determining the consequents of service quality with mediating and moderating effects: an empirical study

Customer satisfaction (CS) and customers’ continuance intention (CI) (i.e. customer loyalty) are the two most-researched consequents of service quality (SQ); generally, SQ directly influences CS and CI. However, retail marketing and information system (IS) theories do challenge this notion; SQ dimensions are basically based on expectations or perceptions which need to be judged in an interim stage (i.e. confirmation) in the satisfaction-continuance process. Hence, the current study investigates the role of confirmation – through direct, mediating, and moderating effects – in service quality context. Applying positivist epistemology and using empirical approach, this research validates the developed SQ model with PLS-based SEM; data were collected from Australia and Bangladesh. The results find that SQ dimensions are evaluated in confirmation stage, which eventually affect CS and CI. Also, confirmation moderates the relationship between CS and CI; similarly the mediating effect of confirmation on CS and CI are established. The primary contribution of this study is the application of expectation-confirmationsatisfaction concepts from three popular theories from Marketing and Information Systems in SQ domain. Moreover, this research presents practical contributions.
Insights into Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in Supply Chains: A Multiple Case Study of SMEs in the UK

The aim of this paper is to investigate the pressure exerted by supply chain partners, especially large-scale business customers and public authorities, on smalland medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. More specifically, we analyze how SME suppliers perceive and respond to supply chain pressure and then we investigate if such pressure is effective. The analysis is carried out through four case studies within SMEs in the UK. These cases are deliberately chosen to illustrate to students and CSR practitioners the potential range of different viewpoints in relation to CSR and supply chain management. The article suggests that, in order to enhance the perception of supply chain pressure as a CSR driver by SMEs, derived benefits should be more clearly identified (including moral, rational, as well as economic). There is also the risk that, when CSR requirements are imposed by large-scale business customers and public authorities, SMEs have difficulties in implementing CSR and consequently are tempted to behave opportunistically. An opportunistic behaviour can be associated to the large-scale business customers and the public authorities as well, when their commitment in CSR is perceived as only superficial. Thus there seems to be the need for a higher level of trust in such actors in order to share the potential benefits and costs related to CSR among all supply chain partners. In some cases, supply chain pressure can be detrimental to the existing initiatives voluntarily carried out by SMEs, which can consequently decrease their intrinsic motivation to engage.
Ácido cítrico y fitasa microbiana en el comportamiento productivo y excreción de fósforo, calcio y nitrógeno en gallinas de postura Citric acid and microbial phytase relative to productive performance and phosphorus, calcium and nitrogen excretion in laying hens

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Citric Acid (AC) and Phytase on productive behavior of laying hens, phosphorous (P) and nitrogen (N) content in excreta, as well as P and calcium (Ca) content in whole egg and eggshell. This experiment was carried out on 80 week old hens after molting, and fed on a sorghum and soy paste diet (2.7 Mcal EM kg-1, 13 % PC, 4 % Ca and 0.4 % available P). Phytase was added as an ingredient, contributing 0.1 % of P and 0.3 % of Ca. AC levels were 0 %, 0.6 % and 2 %, while those for phytase were 0 and 600 units (UF). A completely randomized experimental design with a factorial 3 x 2 array and 5 replications of four hens per treatment was used. Results showed that a combination of 600 UF and 2 % AC increased egg weight and reduced P content in excreta by more than 50 %. N in excreta decreased when AC was added (P<0.01). The use of phytase increased Ca content in yolk and albumin while decreasing that of shell (P<0.05). AC increased Ca in shell (P=0.01). When AC and phytase were added to diets provided to hens at the end of the laying cycle, egg weight increased and N and P excretion decreased.
Compact Bow-tie Antenna for the Detection of Multiple Tumors

In the last two decades, microwave imaging methods for early detection of possible tumors have received ample amount of attentions. As a non-ionizing radiator, the microwave imaging has a definite advantage over X-ray mammography which is currently the main method of breast cancer diagnosis. This paper presents a focused synthetic radar imaging approach to detect the possible existing tumors and to clearly identify their sizes and locations to assist the physicians in cancer prognosis. Both analytical and simulation results are obtained for assumed tumors of different sizes and locations. This is done by modeling the breast tissues and the design of illuminating antenna. Finally, the proposed study includes the required design elements of the optimized antenna used for accurately locating the tumors within a minimal margin of error.
Mental health issues among medical students in Serbia: Challenges and perspectives

Objective: The authors present a review of results from studies regarding mental health of medical students in Serbia. Methods: Serbian citation index (SCI), MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases were searched, as well as conference proceedings, book chapters and reference lists. Results: The results of numerous studies conducted in Serbia show a higher overall psychological distress among medical students as well as that female students are more vulnerable to stress. The most common are stress-related problems, depression, self-harm and substance abuse. Although there is a high prevalence of depression among medical students in Serbia most of them do not seek help (70-80%). Conclusion: A better understanding of the characteristics of medical students who are prone to experiencing psychological distress is essential for developing mental health support programmes which could decrease the level of reported distress among this vulnerable group.