Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Point Object Extraction from Scanned Topographic Maps for the Digital Topographic Maps Production

: Topographic maps published by the Military Geographical Institute are an important cartographic source in the process of creating a digital topographic map in the scale of 1:25 000. Existing topographic maps are scanned and georeferenced, but vectorization of the required content from these maps is done manually, which requires a lot of time. The homogeneity of cartographic content gives the potential for the application of algorithms for automatic vectorization of geospatial data. This paper presents a tool programmed in the Python programming language that extracts point symbol - well objects (as a hydrographic object) from a georeferenced map, by identifying objects based on assigned samples and generating vector point spatial data. Recognition is performed on a processed input raster containing only shades of blue. The output data are the geographical coordinates of the identified objects and the initial raster with markings at the places where the objects are recognized. 1074 wells on 24 map sheets in the wider area of Novi Sad and Zrenjanin were generated. Proposed Points from Corner method showed satisfactory positional accuracy results.
Structured Pruning for Deep Neural Networks with Adaptive Pruning Rate Derivation Based on Connection Sensitivity and Loss Function

— Structured pruning for deep neural networks has been proposed for network model compression. Because earlier structured pruning methods assign pruning rate manually, finding appropriate pruning rate to suppress the degradation of pruned model accuracy is difficult. In this paper, we propose a structured pruning method by deriving pruning rate for each layer adaptively based on gradient and loss function. The proposed method first calculates a threshold of L1-norm of the pruned weight for each layer using loss function and gradient per layer. The threshold guarantees no degradation of the loss function by pruning when the L1-norm of pruned weight is less than that threshold. Then, by comparing the L1-norm of the pruned weight and the calculated threshold while changing the pruning rate, we derive the pruning rate for each layer, which does not degrade the loss function. By applying the derived pruning rate per layer, the accuracy degradation of the pruned model is suppressed. We evaluate the proposed method on CIFAR-10 task with VGG-16 and ResNet in iterative pruning method. For example, our proposed method reduces model parameters of ResNet-56 by 66.3% with 93.71% accuracy.
Procedural Knowledge Mining - A New Method for Extracting Best Practices by Applying Machine Learning on Data Graph

In recent years with the increase in sharing tools and sites such as Meta, Twitter, WikiHow. , the web has become a constant and permanent source of scalable knowledge where users share their know-how in the form of procedural knowledge. This procedural knowledge, which consists of a successive set of steps for achieving a specific goal, is called good practice. Extracting and formalizing these good practices is a major asset in the field of artificial intelligence. In this context we present a new method for formalizing good practices extracted from the web, and extracting the best practice for a given request by applying the techniques of artificial learning and text summary on data graphs.
Parental Technology Governance: Teenagers’ Understandings and Responses to Parental Digital Mediation

Research on parental mediation of children’s online engagements situate historically long­standing anxieties within the dynamics of present-day information communications technologies (i.e., concerns over new “cyber risks,” as well as opportunities). Yet, there remains a lack of emphasis on children’s reactions to and experiences with parental strategies and responses. In the current article, we highlight research involving semi-structured focus groups (n=35) with Canadian teenagers (n=115). We highlight themes directly related to parental digital mediation, including the role of ICTs in driving addictive behaviors, social connection, differences in parental responses between sons and daughters, and differences concerning age and birth order. Disrupting cultural discourses of young people who lack agency in relation to their use of ICTs, our discussions with teens reveal qualified support, even degrees of sympathy, for parental efforts to restrict access and use of digital technologies, but illuminate multifaceted reasons for resistance: their vital role not only for social connection but access to crucial information and knowledge.
Update of PSMA Theranostics in Prostate Cancer: Current Applications and Future Trends

There is now an increasing trend for targeting cancers to go beyond early diagnosis and actually improve Progression-Free Survival and Overall Survival. Identifying patients who might benefit from a particular targeted treatment is the main focus for Precision Medicine. Radiolabeled ligands can be used as predictive biomarkers which can confirm target expression by cancers using positron emission tomography (PET). The same ligand can subsequently be labeled with a therapeutic radionuclide for targeted radionuclide therapy. This combined approach is termed “Theranostics”. The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has emerged as an attractive diagnostic and therapeutic target for small molecule ligands in prostate cancer. It can be labeled with either positron emitters for PET-based imaging or beta and alpha emitters for targeted radionuclide therapy. This review article summarizes the important concepts for Precision Medicine contributing to improved diagnosis and targeted therapy of patients with prostate cancer and we identify some key learning points and areas for further research.
The Role and Attitudes of Kindergarten Educators in ICT-Supported Early Childhood Education

In this paper we analyze the role and attitudes of kindergarten educators in the early ICT education. Our kindergarten survey among educators in Croatia showed the positive attitude towards ICT literacy in general, but it also showed that more than one third of educators has neither positive nor negative attitude towards the issue of early ICT education. The research results are compared to the most recent findings for other countries – Turkey, Hawaii, Sweden, Belgium, China, Greece, Portugal, UK, Australia, Israel, Chile, Slovakia, Singapore and Malaysia. The conclusion is that educators in countries that are still not obliged to use ICT in the preschool classroom, generally understand the necessity of their own ICT education and motivation to transfer their knowledge to the youngest learners.
The Highly Leukotoxic JP2 Genotype of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Is Present in the Population of the West African Island, Sal in Cape Verde: A Pilot Study

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is strongly associated with severe periodontitis, possibly due to its production of a potent leukotoxin. A genetic variant, the JP2 genotype, was found to produce more leukotoxin than the wild type because of a mutation in the leukotoxin gene, and this genotype is frequently found in African populations. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this JP2 genotype can be found in a randomly selected group of inhabitants of Sal, Cape Verde. Twenty-nine adults between 20 and 59 years of age (58.6% female) participated, and information on their oral health and living standards was collected. An oral examination was performed for each participant, including DMF-T and CPI scores. Plaque and saliva samples were collected and transported to Europe, where DNA was isolated, and the concentration of A. actinomycetemcomitans and its JP2 genotype was determined using dedicated PCR analyses. All 29 plaque and 31% of the saliva samples harboured A. actinomycetemcomitans, and two participants were positive for the JP2 genotype. The presence of this JP2 genotype was not associated with either CPI or DMF-T. This pilot study is the first to describe the presence of the A. actinomycetemcomitans JP2 genotype in a Cape Verdean population living in the Cape Verde Islands, and the findings warrant further research.
Effect of Intrinsic Motivation on Junior High School Students’ Creativity: Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility

This research’s aim was to explore the role of cognitive flexibility in mediating the effect of intrinsic motivation on the creativity of junior high school students. A creativity scale, an intrinsic motivation inventory and a cognitive flexibility inventory were utilized to investigate a sample of junior high school students in Shaanxi Province in western China. 765 valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed using the structural equation model (SEM). The SEM analysis showed that intrinsic motivation and cognitive flexibility have significantly positive impacts on junior high school students’ creativity. Furthermore, a full model revealed that cognitive alternatives and cognitive control mediate the relationship intrinsic motivation and creativity, and the mediation effect of cognitive alternatives is significantly greater than that of cognitive control. In general, the current research suggests that the impact of intrinsic motivation on junior high school students’ creativity is mediated by cognitive flexibility, and its results amplify prior scholars’ research results and give educators an inspiration how to cultivate creativity for the middle school students.
Does Ownership Structure Moderate the Relationship between Systemic Risk and Corporate Governance? Evidence from Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

The objective of this paper is to empirically examine the moderating effect of ownership structure on the relationship between systemic risk and corporate governance. It complements prior research by studying the relationship between the proportion of capital held by state institutions and systemic risk. It also examines the internal governance mechanisms that mitigate systemic risk. For this purpose, this research used a dataset consisting of 22 banks from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (10 Islamic banks and 12 conventional banks) over the period 2004–2018. We used a three-stage least squares (3SLS) regression to test our research hypotheses. The findings revealed that the structure of the board of directors (BOD) reduced systemic risk in the banking sector. In particular, we provide evidence that board composition and board meetings negatively affect systematic risk. In addition, we provide empirical evidence that the state plays a key role in moderating the relationship between governance mechanisms and systemic risk. As such, our paper provides significant contributions to the governance and corporate finance literature.
Orientation of Healthcare Educators Towards Using an Effective Medical Simulation-Based Learning: A Q-Methodology Study

Purpose This study explores the healthcare educators’ orientations about medical simulation in clinical skills training —its benefits, needs, challenges, and implications for proper implementation and integration into curricula. Methods The study used a Q-sort technique, allowing quantitative and qualitative representation of the participants’ orientations and was conducted at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 22 healthcare educators from different roles were included. Participants pre-sorted into three categories and then ranked statements related to medical simulation, by level of agreement, and they answered open-ended and demographic questions. Data was uploaded to Ken-Q Analysis application to conduct Q-factor analysis. Results A total of 22 healthcare educators participated in the study. Q-factor analysis was performed with principal component analysis and varimax rotation, identifying three factors. Most educators shared a similar orientation regarding the benefits of using simulation-based learning. Most participants considered medical simulation a simple, effortless, and beneficial method of learning. However, challenges in scheduling sessions and obtaining the necessary resources, such as human resources and funds, and lack of training had a negative impact on some participants’ motivation to use medical simulation. Conclusion Healthcare educators shed light on the influence of multiple factors on using medical simulation. The possibility for students to learn practical and clinical skills was a leading factor. Financial resources, funds, and faculty training were identified as challenges and needs. It is important for institutions and leaders to be aware of the variations in faculty perceptions and to provide resources and training to improve the current use of medical simulation.
Pedestrian Graph +: A Fast Pedestrian Crossing Prediction Model Based on Graph Convolutional Networks

Estimating when pedestrians cross the street is essential for intelligent transportation systems. Accurate, real-time prediction is critical to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable road users while improving passenger comfort. In the present work, we developed a model called Pedestrian Graph +, an improvement of our previous work, Pedestrian Graph, which predicts pedestrian crossing action in urban areas based on a Graph Convolution Network. We integrated two convolutional modules in the new model that provide additional context information (cropped images, cropped segmentation maps, ego-vehicle velocity data) to the main Graph Convolutional module, thus increasing accuracy. Our model is faster and smaller than other state-of-the-art models, achieving equivalent accuracy. Our model is faster than state-of-the-art models, with an inference time of 6 ms (on a GTX 1080) and low memory consumption (0.3 MB). We tested our model on two datasets, Joint Attention in Autonomous Driving (JAAD) and Pedestrian Intention Estimation (PIE), achieving 86% and 89% accuracy, respectively. Another contribution of our work is the ability to dynamically process almost any input size in the time domain without significant loss of accuracy. It is possible due to the fully convolutional property of ConvNets. Our models and results are available at https://github.com/RodrigoGantier/Pedestrian_graph_plus.
A Study to Investigate Consumer’s Resonance Experience Effect and Engagement Behaviour on Travel Vlogs

Objective – This research is carried out with an objective to comprehend the experience of consumers via travel vlogs and its influence on customer engagement behaviour and travel objective based on the Resonance theory incorporating the cognitive and emotional resonance. Methodology/Approach/Scope – The data was collected via online mode with the help of a structured questionnaire administered to 300 respondents in the Bhubaneswar city, Odisha, who were avid and regular vlogs watchers actively engaged over a period of one year or so. The study used correlation and multiple & linear regression analyses to examine the variables and test the hypotheses. Findings – The analysis revealed that out of seven variables (Cognitive: Information acquisition, source credibility & video clarity and Emotional: Entertainment, escapism, entertainment & self-congruence), six variables viz., Information Acquisition, source credibility, entertainment, self-congruence, inspiration and escapism impacted positively on Consumer engagement behaviours with source credibility as the most important predictor influencing travel intention. Implications & Conclusion – There is a need for an emotional connection between the travel vloggers and the consumers with a high level of enthusiasm on the part of the vloggers. The management of hotel organisations and destination marketers have a crucial role to play as far as the promotion of their products is concerned about providing incentives to the consumers to engage with travel vlogs.
Document/Reflect/Create Cultural Probes in Teaching and Learning Environments

This paper looks at an experience in a teaching and learning (T&L) environment using Cultural Probes (CP) [S, II, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19], ethnographic tools traditionally used in Participatory Design [25, 2S], for reflective practice [I, 26, 27] based activities. The paper is divided into four main sections. The first provides an overview of the pedagogical underpinnings to the case study. The second section offers an outline of the case study, including students' feedback and related reflections. The third part of the paper analyses in depth the case study, providing some propositions around the possibilities offered by the use of CP in various domains. The fourth section concludes the paper, remarking the case study's major outcomes. The final proposition offered by this paper is that there are multiple ways of looking at and using Cultural Probes - ways that require designers to go beyond their traditional contexts.
D-Carvone Attenuates CCl4-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Rats by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and TGF-ß 1/SMAD3 Signaling Pathway

Simple Summary Liver fibrosis is a challenging global health problem resulting in a significant morbidity and mortality rates worldwide due to its rapid progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, identifying nontoxic therapies with precise curative effects to slow the progression of liver fibrosis comprises one of the most popular and high-priority areas of current research. D-carvone is a naturally occurring monoterpene abundant in the essential oil of aromatic plants such as caraway and spearmint. In the present study, the protective impact of D-carvone on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in rats was evaluated. Administration of D-carvone significantly enhanced liver functions, oxidant/antioxidant balance as well as liver histology. D-carvone ameliorated the progression of liver fibrosis, evident by the decreased collagen deposition (fibrosis score) and the reduced expression of the pro-fibrogenic markers TGF-β1 and SMAD3 in the liver. These findings reveal the anti-fibrotic effects of D-carvone and suggest that D-carvone could be a promising candidate for therapeutic intervention of liver fibrosis and other oxidative stress-related hepatic diseases. Abstract D-carvone is a natural monoterpene found in abundance in the essential oil of aromatic medicinal plants with a wide range of pharmacological values. However, the impact of D-carvone on liver fibrosis remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-fibrotic potential of D-carvone in a rat model of liver fibrosis and to clarify the possible underlying mechanisms. Liver fibrosis was induced in rats by carbon tetrachloride, CCl4 (2.5 mL/kg, interperitoneally every 72 h for 8 weeks). Oral treatment of rats with D-carvone (50 mg/kg, daily) started on the 3rd week of CCl4 administration. D-carvone significantly enhanced liver functions (ALT, AST), oxidant/antioxidant status (MDA, SOD, GSH, total antioxidant capacity; TAC), as well as histopathological changes. Moreover, D-carvone effectively attenuated the progression of liver fibrosis, evident by the decreased collagen deposition and fibrosis score by Masson trichrome staining (MT) and α-SMA protein expression. Moreover, D-carvone administration resulted in a significant downregulation of the pro-fibrogenic markers TGF-β1 and SMAD3 and upregulation of MMP9. These findings reveal the anti-fibrotic effect of D-carvone and suggest regulation of the TGF-β1/SMAD3 pathway, together with the antioxidant activity as a mechanistic cassette, underlines this effect. Therefore, D-carvone could be a viable candidate for inhibiting liver fibrosis and other oxidative stress-related hepatic diseases. Clinical studies to support our hypothesis are warranted.
Natural Products from Plants and Algae for Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review

Neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD) and the most frequent, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), represent one of the most urgent medical needs worldwide. Despite a significantly developed understanding of disease development and pathology, treatments that stop AD progression are not yet available. The recent approval of sodium oligomannate (GV-971) for AD treatment in China emphasized the potential value of natural products for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Many current clinical studies include the administration of a natural compound as a single and combination treatment. The most prominent mechanisms of action are anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities, thus preserving cellular survival. Here, we review current natural products that are either approved or are in testing for a treatment of neurodegeneration in AD. In addition to the most important compounds of plant origin, we also put special emphasis on compounds from algae, given their neuroprotective activity and their underlying mechanisms of neuroprotection.
The Big Five Personality Traits as predictors of life satisfaction in Egyptian college students

Abstract Several studies have indicated significant relations between the Big Five personality traits and life satisfaction. However, most of these studies have been carried out on Western samples. The present study aimed to explore the Big Five predictors of life satisfaction in an under-studied sample of Egyptian college students (N = 1,418). They responded to a self-rating scale of life satisfaction and the Arabic Big Five Personality Inventory. Both scales have acceptable to good reliabilities and validities. Men obtained significantly higher mean total scores than did women for extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness, whereas women obtained higher mean total scores than did their male counterparts on neuroticism and agreeableness. In both sexes, all the Pearson correlations between the Big Five and life satisfaction were significant and positive except for neuroticism (negative). The strongest correlation with life satisfaction scores was for neuroticism (negative). Principal components analysis extracted two components in both genders which were labelled: “Positive traits”, and “Well-Being versus neuroticism”. Big Five traits accounted for approximately 22% of the variance in life satisfaction scores among men, and 17% in women. Predictors of life satisfaction were low neuroticism, conscientiousness, extraversion, openness (men), low neuroticism and conscientiousness (women). It was concluded that personality traits are important for life satisfaction in the present sample of Egyptian college students. By and large, the relationships observed in Egyptian college students reflect the general pattern observed in other samples.
Performance Optimization of Automotive Air-Conditioning System Operating with Al2O3-SiO2/PAG Composite Nanolubricants using Taguchi Method

The performance of an automotive air-conditioning (AAC) system is influenced by a variety of operating conditions. This can be addressed by employing optimization techniques that can suggest the appropriate parameters for the best results. In this study, the optimum operating conditions for a composite nanolubricants-fuelled AAC system were investigate using Taguchi's design of experiment approach and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The motor speed value, initial refrigerant charge, and composite nanolubricants composition ratio were chosen as operating parameters to investigate the AAC system performance, focusing on the coefficient of performance (COP) and compressor work. Orthogonal arrays (ORs) L25 (56) was selected to determine the optimum operating parameters of the AAC system. The optimum values for speed, refrigerant mass, and composition ratio were determined to be A4B1C5 (60:40, 900 rpm and 155 g), respectively. The motor speed was the significant factor influencing both COP and compressor performance by 78.13% and 89.29%. A confirmation test was conducted with the optimum levels of AAC system parameters to verify the efficiency of the Taguchi optimization method. The validation between the optimization results and the experimental results yielded a maximum error of 9.85%, indicating that the findings of this investigation were acceptable.