Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Weighted Signal Preprocessing Technique for Machine Health Monitoring

Machine health monitoring (MHM) aims to timely detect the incipient faults and monotonically assess the machine degradation tendency for prediction of remaining useful life (RUL), which is the basis of condition-based maintenance. Construction of a health index (HI) is a core step to realize the aforementioned purposes. Among the existing HIs, sparsity measures (SMs), including kurtosis, smoothness index, Gini index, and negative entropy, have shown promising applications in fault diagnosis of rotating machines because they are widely used to quantify the repetitive transients caused by rotating faults. However, drawbacks of SMs for MHM still exist and they are that: 1) SMs are too fluctuating to detect the incipient faults; 2) SMs are prone to be affected by impulsive noise; and 3) SMs might not exhibit monotonic degradation tendency. To enhance the abilities of SMs as HIs for MHM, some improvements on SMs, coined as an adaptive weighted signal preprocessing technique (AWSPT), are proposed in this article. Subsequently, theoretical values of AWSPT-based SMs under healthy states are investigated. Numerical experiments reveal that AWSPT-based SMs can quantify the cyclostationarity and they are robust to the effects of impulsive noise. Bearing and gear run-to-failure data sets are used to show that the proposed AWSPT-based SMs can simultaneously detect the early bearing and gear faults and provide the monotonic degradation tendency. Moreover, AWSPT-based SMs are more effective in selecting an optimal envelope demodulation frequency band than traditional SMs.
Introducing dialogic as a research methodology

This paper aims to illustrate how the methodological approach that researchers apply has implications not only for theory-building, insights, and theoretical conclusions but also for practices. The paper proposes French philosopher and sociologist Edgar Morin’s (e.g. 1990; 1992; 1997; 2005; 2008a; 2008b) methodological approach dialogic as an alternative and sophisticated approach to study and understand the complexity of opposing forces like tensions, para-doxes, and contradictions in organization, leadership and management research. By applying the dialogic approach, the researcher is able to comprehend the antagonistic and the complementarity mechanisms of opposing forces simultaneously. The dialogic approach is proposed in the context of the oft-applied dualistic and dialectical research perspectives. To support the purpose of the paper, self-management as a research subject is used to illustrate the implications for applying different research methodologies.
Language Identity in Maritime Defense Diplomacy

There is no doubt that language and identity are interrelated and influencing each other. One function of language is as a nation's cultural identity. Politeness in language is a form of cultural identity, and culture can be integrated into English teaching to improve communication skills. This is fundamental in carrying out maritime defense diplomacy tasks. Foreign language training programs are vehicles that have the potential for bolstering a country's identity. Therefore, this study aims to examine the compatibility between the syllabus applicable in an English language training program at Indonesian Navy’s language institute and the required language competency related to maritime defense diplomacy activities. This research is a qualitative, descriptive, and interpretive study. Questionnaires and interviews were used in this study, and document examinations were carried out to identify the needs of the 33 alumni of the training program. It was found that listening and speaking skills were very important for carrying out the respondents’ duties as Navy officers. In addition, the respondents agreed that topics related to cultural identity could increase their motivation; and therefore, they were considered effective in improving their English language proficiency. However, the majority of the respondents said the benefit of the course that they had participated in was only to prepare them to take the TOEFL test, and most of the respondents agreed that the course had no direct correlation with the English language competency which they need to carry out their duties. It is concluded that the current syllabus is not compatible with the needs of English language competency required by those Navy officers for carrying out their duties. Based on these findings, it is necessary to improve the syllabus by aligning it with organizational goals and to make sure that the people who have the responsibilities of communicating our national identity are really equipped with the language skills needed. Keywords—ESP, identity, maritime defense diplomacy, needs analysis, course design
Effect of carbon and manganese content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of high manganese austenitic steel

In the present work, the influence of carbon and manganese on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of high manganese austenitic steel were investigated. Increased carbon and manganese content increased the grain size and the amount of carbides in the as-cast condition. The solution annealing fully dissolved the carbides in the alloys with lower carbon content (1wt%) and resulted in a homogeneous austenitic microstructure. The yield strength, ultimate strength, Charpy, and elongation were increased by the combination of carbon and manganese. Optimal results were obtained in the solution annealed 1.0C-17Mn alloy, respectively, 415.0? 4.1MPa 865.6? 1.5 MPa, 65.2? 0.8%, and 258? 3 J. The wear tests were performed under the loads of 2.5N, 5N, 10N and 15N with a ball-on-disc wear testing machine at constant speed of 0.2 ms-1 for sliding distance of 500m; it was revealed that 1C-21Mn alloy could be applied to relatively high-stress wear conditions while the 1.3C-17Mn alloy could be only used under low-stress wear conditions.
Thrifty Food Plan Panel Price Index and the Real Value of SNAP Benefits

This paper uses retail scanner data to construct panel price indices for the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) basket and uses the indices to estimate the real value of SNAP benefits. We find that the inflation rates and the price levels of TFP basket vary substantially across the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. Using the TFP price indices, we show that from 2006 to 2016, the range of the difference in the real SNAP benefits for a household of four among states is between 7 to 16 percentage points, which converts to about 39 to 90 pounds of food per month. The result of our price convergence test suggests that this inequality would persist for a long time in the absence of regional adjustments of the SNAP benefits. Using the variation in the real value of SNAP benefits, we find that a one-percent increase in the real value of SNAP benefits is associated with a 0.5 percentage point increase in the SNAP participation rate among low- income population.
Pragmatic Approach to Phase Self-Calibration for Planar Array Millimeter-Wave MIMO Imaging

To reduce the adverse effects of propagation delay uncertainty caused phase error, a pragmatic self-calibration approach for millimeter-wave multiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) imaging is proposed and demonstrated. Based on the analysis of the contributions of delay uncertainty and the assumption of identical channel design, the direct coupling between array elements is used to estimate the hardware-caused inherent channel delay, requiring no additional reference aid. Of the contributions to the delay, the common part and the part due to the interchannel difference are estimated separately. Combined with the array geometrical configuration, the direct coupling reflections are averaged to find the common channel delay, and the interchannel differences are estimated in a reduced geometric average scheme. The delay uncertainty is compensated by performing a phase shift operation to the received echoes for each channel. In addition, the proposed method also allows the accommodation of the slow change of the channel inherent delay automatically and constantly. Numerical analysis and experimental tests demonstrate the projected performance improvement of the proposed scheme as an alternative approach, which can also serve as a benchmark or booster for reference aided phase calibration methods.
Ehrharta longiflora Sm. and Pennisetum setaceum (Forsk.) Chiov., two new alien grasses for Madeira Island (Portugal)

El numero de taxones introducidos y posiblemente introducidos en los archipielagos de Madeira y Salvajes supone aproximadamente un 36% de su flora total, incluyendo 53 taxa de poaceas (sobre un total de 141 taxa de poaceas), constituyendo, de esta manera, la familia botanica con mayor numero de taxa introducidos (38,4%). El genero Ehrharta Thunb. comprende unas 35 especies, con una especie, E. longiflora Sm. , registrada como introducida en Gran Canaria. El genero Pennisetum Rich. incluye cerca de 80 especies, de las cuales un total de nueve especies estan presentes en Macaronesia, de las que tres (P. clandestinum Hochst. & Chiov., P. purpureum Schum. y P. villosum R. Br. ex Fresen), se encuentran en el archipielago de Madeira. Ehrharta longiflora Sm. y Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. se citan en este trabajo por primera vez para la isla de Madeira, donde han sido encontradas en areas perturbadas a bajas y medias altitudes. El hallazgo de varios individuos maduros en estado de flor/fruto de ambas especies sugiere que estan totalmente naturalizadas. El trabajo discute la naturalizacion, la capacidad invasora y los impactos ecologicos generados por las mismas.
Accurate Characterization and Design Guidelines of Glide-Symmetric Holey EBG

The dispersion characteristics of a glide-symmetric holey periodic surface are investigated, with special emphasis on a detailed study of its stopbands. The unit cell is modeled as a multiport network associated with multiple modes at each of the lattice boundaries. Enforcing the periodic conditions, the real and imaginary parts of the wavenumbers of the Floquet modes are calculated through an eigenproblem posed in terms of the generalized multimodal transfer matrix, which is computed from the scattering parameters obtained with a full-wave simulator. This procedure allows us to take into account the higher order modal couplings between adjacent unit cells that are crucial for accurate dispersion analysis. The resulting simulation-assisted approach provides both a convenient computational tool and a very fruitful physical insight that reveals the existence of complex modes, the convergence of opposite-parity modes, and the anisotropy in both passband and stopband. This approach enables a precise calculation of the attenuation constant, which is not possible with conventional techniques as the eigenmode solvers of commercial software. Based on this approach, an extensive parametric study is carried out, rigorously establishing a set of critical criteria for the use of such a periodic surface as an electromagnetic bandgap structure in gap waveguide technology. Moreover, the analysis of the directional properties of the structure is applied to further suppress the leakage.
Population structure of the shrimp Palaemon pandaliformis (Stimpson, 1871) (Caridea: Palaemonidae) in the river Rio Itapemirim, in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract The present study analyzes the population structure of Palaemon pandaliformis, based on sex ratio, the frequency distribution in defined size classes and the reproductive biology of samples captured in seasonal collections (winter 2011 to autumn 2012) with sieves under marginal vegetation. A total of 1,043 specimens were obtained, 222 juveniles, 465 males and 356 females, being that of this total of females, 58.42% were in the ovigerous condition. The average size of the carapace for both sexes varied between 4 and 6 mm (p> 0.05) only the ovigerous females had higher averages (p <0.0001). The sex ratio differed with 1:0.76 for males (p = 0.0001), although juvenile individuals and females were present in all sampled periods, except ovigerous females in autumn. Highest abundances were observed during the winter and spring period (p = 0.0001), decreasing in the periods with higher water temperature and salinity (summer and autumn). Was observed a continuous recruitment due to the presence of juveniles in all seasons, with greater abundance in winter and spring. Thus, based on the presence of ovigerous females in almost all seasons and juveniles in all, the reproduction for P. pandaliformis can be defined as seasonal-continuous with peak in winter period.
American and Chinese Students and Acceptance of Virtual Reality: A Replication of “The Role of Espoused National Cultural Values in Technology Acceptance”

: The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and later versions (such as the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)) are among the best-known theories in the academic information systems (IS) field. The explanatory ability of TAM and related theories has been tested in various contexts, including national culture. The purpose of this study was to conduct a methodological replication of one of the most widely cited MIS Quarterly papers on TAM and national culture, by Srite and Karahanna (2006). Two differences in the original study and our replication were the sample (consisting of students in a U.S. university in the original vs. students in one U.S. and one Chinese university in the replication) and the technology object (personal computers and digital personal assistants in the original vs. virtual reality in the replication). We were not able to replicate the findings of the original study. Use of the original measurement scales resulted in different outcomes in the replication, and none of the hypotheses supported in the original work were supported in the replication. We report here on our data collection, methods, results, and findings.
The Role of Perception in the Adoption of Digital Platforms in Agriculture

In these times of global disruptions, digital product distribution platforms are playing a major role in driving the global economy. In the development of such platforms, the scope, architecture, realization technology as well as the channels used are important. However, a well-accepted/designed platform does not guarantee profitable results in a digital business model. There are various soft factors that can significantly affect the reach of a platform. Due to its role in food distribution, the specific lifecycle of products and seasonality, agriculture is an industry where timely reach is crucial. In this paper, we investigate the factors influencing users’ perceptions toward platforms in agriculture. We consider both the perspective of the customers/buyers, and the perspective of the producers/sellers. We also examine the perception factors that can influence one’s intention to join and adopt digital platforms. The identification of relevant perception factors is based on a literature review and empirical data from publicly available sources. Our goal in future research is to confirm or revise factors that impact perception, and to assess the impact of perception on the design and functionality of digital platforms, as well as its impact on the development of digital business models.
The Principle of Predictive Irrelevance or Why Intervals Should Not be Used for Model Comparison Featuring a Point Null Hypothesis

The principle of predictive irrelevance states that when two competing models predict a data set equally well, that data set cannot be used to discriminate the models and --for that specific purpose-- the data set is evidentially irrelevant. To highlight the ramifications of the principle, we first show how a single binomial observation can be irrelevant in the sense that it carries no evidential value for discriminating the null hypothesis $\theta = 1/2$ from a broad class of alternative hypotheses that allow $\theta$ to be between 0 and 1. In contrast, the Bayesian credible interval suggest that a single binomial observation does provide some evidence against the null hypothesis. We then generalize this paradoxical result to infinitely long data sequences that are predictively irrelevant throughout. Examples feature a test of a binomial rate and a test of a normal mean. These maximally uninformative data (MUD) sequences yield credible intervals and confidence intervals that are certain to exclude the point of test as the sequence lengthens. The resolution of this paradox requires the insight that interval estimation methods --and, consequently, p values-- may not be used for model comparison involving a point null hypothesis.
Modeling and Prediction of NPP-VIIRS Nighttime Light Imagery Based on Spatiotemporal Statistical Method

The cloud-free monthly composite of the global nighttime light (NTL) data derived from the Suomi National Polar orbiting Partnership with the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) day/night band (DNB) has gained popularity for detecting anthropogenic and socioeconomic activities. However, the monthly VIIRS DNB composite suffers from a data missing problem induced by continuous cloud cover. The full potential of the VIIRS DNB time series is consequently hindered by low-quality and missing observations. This article proposes a spatiotemporal statistical method (STSM) to predict the VIIRS DNB imagery in severe absence of valid observations’ situation. The polynomial with the harmonic model was applied to describe the long-term trends and seasonal cycles in time series. A spatial marginal semivariogram was established to quantify the data dependence in space; we then used spatial interpolation to correct the predicted results from temporal curve fitting. The final predicted values were validated with the actual values based on cross-validation. The results suggest that the STSM is suitable for predicting with a high coefficient of determination ( $R^{2} = 0.922$ ) and a relatively low root-mean-square error (RMSE = 3.40 nW/cm2/sr). We extended the proposed method to forecast future imagery for a five-month period, the performance of which was more stable, with the highest $R^{2}$ /RMSE (0.158 ± 0.010), compared with two other methods. Therefore, the STSM is effective and stable for modeling and predicting the VIIRS DNB monthly composite and will help address the data missing issue.
Influence of different bio-pesticides and mulching in management of Okra Jassids Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in Chitwan district of Nepal

Abstract The use of synthetic pesticides in vegetables is burgeoning these days. A field experiment was conducted in the Horticulture Farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan, Nepal from March to June 2019 to evaluate the effect of bio-pesticides, mulching materials, and synthetic pesticides in the management of okra jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The treatment consisted of three insecticides (Chloropyriphos 50% + Cypermethrin 5% EC (3 ml/liter), Neem oil 1% EC (2 ml/liter) and Trichoderma (2 gm/liter) and four mulching materials (silver plastic, black plastic, wheat straw, and bare soil). The best performance was recorded in the synthetics treated plots with the lowest jassid population (14.11/5 leaves) followed by Trichoderma spp. (16.37/5 leaves) and Neem oil (17.96/5 leaves). Similarly, the synthetic was found statistically superior in the reduction of jassid population (45–62%). However, the synthetics and Trichoderma spp. treated plots had a statistically similar yield, 20.11 t/ha, and 18.68 t/ha, respectively. Silver plastic was found efficient for jassid (14.01/5 leaves) management, higher fruit yield (25.36 t/ha), pod length (27.37 cm), and pod diameter (7.05 cm). The interaction of silver plastic mulch and the synthetics provided the highest yield (27.74 t/ha) which was statistically similar to the combination of Trichoderma and silver plastic mulch (27.27 t/ha). Results from this experiment suggest that the application of Trichoderma spp. in combination with silver plastic mulch could be recommended for maximum and healthy okra production and effectively substitutes the use of synthetics.
Source Wavefield Reconstruction in Fractional Laplacian Viscoacoustic Wave Equation-Based Full Waveform Inversion

We develop a fractional Laplacian viscoacoustic wave equation-based full waveform inversion (FWI) method. The main novelty is efficient reconstruction of the source wavefields in gradient computation by the adjoint state method. Our FWI is based on Fourier pseudo-spectral time-domain (PSTD) numerical solutions of the fractional Laplacian viscoacoustic wave equation, which can describe the frequency independent ${Q}$ (quality factor) behaviors of seismic waves accurately. The presented wavefield reconstruction strategy utilizes reverse time-marching formulae to compute the source wavefields backward in time, including an implicit formula in the interior domain and an explicit one in the perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing domains. Since the wavefields in the entire domain are recovered, our method does not require storing massive boundary values like conventional reconstruction methods. To avoid numerical instability in reverse time reconstruction, we design a global-local checkpointing technique. When reverse time reconstruction encounters numerical instability, the forward propagation restarts from the nearest global checkpoint and proceeds to the unstable time step. Then, the reverse time reconstruction continues. The local checkpoints help to delay the numerical instability in the PML domains. Numerical examples verify the feasibility of our reconstruction strategy and the efficiency gain achieved by using this strategy in FWI.
Haematological and Serum Biochemical Responses of Ovambo Chickens Fed Provitamin A Biofortified Maize

The current study was conducted to investigate the influence of provitamin A biofortified maize (PABM) diet, sex and age of birds on the haematological and serum biochemistry parameters of indigenous chickens. A total of ninety-six 13 week old male and female Ovambo chickens were reared and fed on either white maize (WM) a low vitamin A diet or a PABM based diet for eight weeks. Each diet was replicated four times. Packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), erythrocyte concentration (RBC), leucocytes concentration (WBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were measured. Albumin (ALB), globulin (GLOB), total proteins (TP), triglycerides (TRI), cholesterol (CHOLES), uric acid (UA) and creatinine (CREAT) concentrations were assessed. The activity of alanine transaminase (ALT) alkaline phosphate (ALP) and aspartate transaminanse (AST) were also assayed. The PABM diet increased (p<0.05) PCV and WBC of female birds. All mean values for the haematological parameters regardless of the age, sex and diets were within the normal range. Age had an effect (p<0.05) on ALT, TP, GLOB, TRI and UA. Sex of the birds significantly influenced the TP, GLOB, ALB, CREAT and TRI levels. There was significant interaction of diet and age of bird on ALP, ALT, and GLOB concentrations. The cholesterol level in 18 weeks old male birds fed on the WM diet was above the normal range. In conclusion, feeding PABM diet to female and male indigenous chickens will not negatively impact on the health status of indigenous chickens.