Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CollaborEM: A Self-Supervised Entity Matching Framework Using Multi-Features Collaboration

Entity Matching (EM) aims to identify whether two tuples refer to the same real-world entity and is well-known to be labor-intensive. It is a prerequisite to anomaly detection, as comparing the attribute values of two matched tuples from two different datasets provides one effective way to detect anomalies. Existing EM approaches, due to insufficient feature discovery or error-prone inherent characteristics, are not able to achieve stable performance. In this paper, we present <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\sf CollaborEM}}$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mi mathvariant="sans-serif">CollaborEM</mml:mi></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="gao-ieq1-3134806.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>, a self-supervised entity matching framework via multi-features collaboration. It is capable of (i) obtaining reliable EM results with zero human annotations and (ii) discovering adequate tuples’ features in a fault-tolerant manner. <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\sf CollaborEM}}$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mi mathvariant="sans-serif">CollaborEM</mml:mi></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="gao-ieq2-3134806.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> consists of two phases, i.e., automatic label generation (ALG) and collaborative EM training (CEMT). In the first phase, ALG is proposed to generate a set of positive tuple pairs and a set of negative tuple pairs. ALG guarantees the high quality of the generated tuples, and hence ensures the training quality of the subsequent CEMT. In the second phase, CEMT is introduced to learn the matching signals by discovering graph features and sentence features of tuples collaboratively. Extensive experimental results over eight real-world EM benchmarks show that <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\sf CollaborEM}}$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mi mathvariant="sans-serif">CollaborEM</mml:mi></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="gao-ieq3-3134806.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> outperforms all the existing unsupervised EM approaches and is comparable or even superior to the state-of-the-art supervised EM methods.
Analytic Model and FEM Characterization of Two Piezoresistive Microphone Membrane

In this paper we will present the analytical modeling of two different microphone membranes (one square and one circular) fabricated using the MultiMEMS process at Sensonor in Norway. In particular we built up a mathematical model of the pressurebehavior inside the cavity, when an external pressure is applied. The time constant of the exponential solution, gave us the possibility to estimate the minimum working frequencies of these devices. We compared the results that we found with both the mechanical resonance estimates from FEM models and the initial measurements of the devices presented in [.
Modelling and simulation of a marine propulsion power plant with seawater desulphurisation scrubber

Exhaust gas scrubber is one of the options to comply with the new regulations for sulphur emissions in the shipping industry. This article presents a model-based approach to assess the energy and environmental performance effects from the installation of a seawater flue gas desulphurisation scrubber on a marine two-stroke diesel engine propulsion plant. A mathematical model was built that describes the governing physical and chemical behaviour of the integrated machinery system. The model was used to examine the impact of main scrubber design characteristics on the engine fuel consumption under different engine loads. The results indicate that the desulphurisation system causes an increase in the engine fuel consumption, for constant power output. This is due to the increased back-pressure to the turbocharging system caused by the pressure drops in the desulphurisation system. This effect can be partly mitigated by the installation of forced-draft fans after the desulphurisation system limiting the negative impact on the overall system efficiency to half of its initial value.
Women and entrepreneurial finance: a systematic review

ABSTRACT The intersection of gender and entrepreneurship has received growing attention in recent years from academics, practitioners, and policy makers. The current paper reviews research on what influences women’s demand for- and supply of entrepreneurial finance, while suggesting a conceptual approach untangling contradictory findings in earlier studies. This is achieved through a systematic literature review of 113 carefully selected papers, published between 1989 and 2019. Specifically, the review includes 77 studies dedicated to female access to finance, 32 studies on female investment behaviour, and 4 studies addressing both. We find that inconsistent findings can be traced to a combination of wide theoretical plurality in one-half of the studies and an absence of theoretical anchoring in the other half, calling for conceptual integration of existing theories with feminist critiques. Accordingly, we propose integrative conceptual frameworks highlighting the roles of explicit and symbolic factors impacting women’s access to- and investment of- financial resources. This approach led us to suggest that refocusing research on symbolic and intangible factors may help uncover new associations, otherwise obscured in earlier research. Furthermore, the inclusion of interaction terms with gender-related variables may also help untangle existing inconsistencies.
Mechanism of Oxytetracycline Removal by Coconut Shell Biochar Loaded with Nano-Zero-Valent Iron

In this paper, coconut shell biochar (BC), pickling biochar (HBC), and nano-zero-valent iron-loaded biochar (nZVI-HBC) were prepared; these were used to remove oxytetracycline (OTC), and the removal mechanism and degradation product were analyzed. These biochars were characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR, and XPS. The effects of biochar addition amount, pH, ion type, and ion concentration on OTC adsorption were studied by a batch adsorption experiment. Under the optimal conditions, the equilibrium adsorption capacity of nZVI-HBC to OTC was 196.70 mg·g−1. The adsorption process can be described by Langmuir isothermal adsorption equations, conforming to the pseudo-second-order dynamics model, indicating that adsorption is dominated by single-molecule chemical adsorption, and a spontaneous process of increasing heat absorption entropy. Mass spectrometry showed that the OTC removal process of nZVI-HBC included not only adsorption but also degradation. These results provide a practical and potentially valuable material for the removal of OTC.
Role of polarisation in automatic target recognition using resonance descriptions

The role of polarisation in late time complex resonance based target identification is investigated numerically for the case of an L-shaped wire. While repeated extraction of the resonances for varying polarisation allows for better signal-to-noise immunity, it is also found that there are preferred polarisations for each complex resonance. The first few of these polarisations are extracted for the sample target.
Shear Strengthening of R/C Beams with FRP Strips and Novel Anchoring

The shear strengthening behaviour of R/ C beams, when applying FRP strips externally with or without anchoring, is studied. This is done by subjecting six specimens of prototype dimensions with or without such strengthening to four-point bending. Specimens strengthened with either carbon or steel FRP strips without the use of anchors exhibited a modest increase in shear capacity, when co mpared to the non-strengthened control specimen, due to the debonding mode of failure of these FRP strips. The patented anchoring device was utilized together with either carbon or steel FRP strips for shear strengthening. In this case, the FRP strips debonding failure was prevented and the increase of the shear capacity was much larger than in identical specimens without anchors. An expert system developed for this purpose is quite efficient in producing successful shear capacity predictions based on the provisions of various codes. The Greek Code for ret rofitting existing R/ C structures yields shear capacity predictions in good agreement with measured values.
PREVALENCE OF MICROALBUMINURIA AMONG TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS AT BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, MAKURDI, NORTH CENTRAL, NIGERIA

Microalbuminuria is an early marker of overt nephropathy and cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetic patients. Owing to the above, monitoring microalbuminuria in diabetes is important to prevent or delay overt nephropathy and cardiovascular events which is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of microalbuminuria and associated risk factors among Type 2 diabetic patients seen at Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi. Methods: One hundred and four type 2 diabetic patients attending clinic at Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi were screened for microalbuminuria. Result: Thirty eight (36.5%) patients had microalbuminuria while 66 (63.5%) had microalbuminuria. The study also revealed that poor glycaemic control, hypertension and duration of diabetes mellitus is associated with microalbuminuria. Conclusion: The prevalence of 36.5% microalbuminuric Type 2 diabetic patients from our study indicates high predisposition to cardiovascular events and renal impairment in these patients. This calls for prevention and early intervention to stop or delay progression to renal damage and end stage renal failure.
RobustBF: An R Package for Robust Solution to the Behrens-Fisher Problem

Welch’s two-sample t-test based on least squares (LS) estimators is generally used to test the equality of two normal means when the variances are not equal. However, this test loses its power when the underlying distribution is not normal. In this paper, two different tests are proposed to test the equality of two long-tailed symmetric (LTS) means under heterogeneous variances. Adaptive modified maximum likelihood (AMML) estimators are used in developing the proposed tests since they are highly efficient under LTS distribution. An R package called RobustBF is given to show the implementation of these tests. Simulated Type I error rates and powers of the proposed tests are also given and compared with Welch’s t-test based on LS estimators via an extensive Monte Carlo simulation study.
Industrial training of construction students: perceptions of training organizations in Ghana

Purpose – The industrial training component in a university's curricula adds tremendous value to a degree programme by enhancing the employable skills of graduates. The purpose of this paper is to assess the perception of organisations that have trained construction students from the Department of Building Technology of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, as part of its industrial training programme.Design/methodology/approach – Through a structured questionnaire survey of 120 organisations which have offered industrial training to construction students in the Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast metropolitan areas of Ghana, the paper assessed industry's views on issues relating to the nature and objectives of industrial training, preparation towards training, performance of students during training, effectiveness of the training and areas of improvement. Data collected through the survey were analysed using largely descriptive statistics and content analysis.Findings – In the .
Training in young athletes: Ecological dynamics approach

Background: Ecological dynamics theories provides a multidisciplinary analysis of the processes involved in skill acquisition, suggesting that the relevant scale of analysis for the comprehension of the learning process is the constrain athlete–environment interactions. Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the experimental experiences of implementation of the ecological dynamics approach in the training of young athletes. Methods: A comprehensive search of three databases of literature (PubMed, EBESCO (Sportdiscuss), Web of Science, BASE, Scopus and SpringerLink) from 2010 through 2020 was undertaken. A standard data extraction template was developed to extract the main details for every eligible study. Results: In this study were included 17 articles, 16 of which were experimental and 1 quasi-experimental. All studies were conducted with a sample composed on average of 32 (M = 31.72) subjects aged between 6 and 21.02 years (mean age 12.2 years). The ecological dynamics approach has been tested in 10 sports. Discussions and conclusions: An area in which it is possible to draw conclusions about the didactic effectiveness in the manipulation of specific constraints is in the training of young tennis players. As for the trial carried out in other sports it is not possible to draw conclusions but only suggestions relating to different didactics variations of the implementation of this pedagogical-didactic methodology. Longitudinal studies, with baseline assessment, training and post-training assessment are needed to improve examine the causal relationship between constraint manipulation, learning and motor performances in different sports.
Safe Backpack Mass for Students in Tertiary Institutions

Load carrying using backpacks is common among students from primary schools to tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Backpacks are used for carrying books and other school materials. The aim of this study is to determine the mass of backpack that students in tertiary institutions using strain energy principles of the spine. Ten students in a selected tertiary institution participated in the study. A model was developed using strain energy in terms of chest width, chest depth, Young Modulus of Elasticity of articular cartilage, maximum permissible spinal shrinkage, length of spine and body height of the students. The 5 th , 50 th, ands 95 th percentiles of the data obtained were computed using a SPSS 16.0 statistical package. The study confirmed that the model is valid and showed that the maximum backpack load limit for students in tertiary institutions should be 12% of body mass. Similar studies were recommended to be carried out in primary and secondary schools.
The impact of automation on student's career decision

We study the impact of automation on employment and students’ career paths, by obtaining credible datasets from the Government of Singapore. The manufacturing and construction sectors were the most affected industries over the last 15 years. Along with the limited studies, we propose a survey to quantify and analyse students’ views on automation. The shift in employment rate in various sectors due to automation was found to be a contributing factor for students’ career decisions. Based on our findings, we observed that more students are acknowledging the impact of automation and finding the need for job securities and opportunities by undertaking Engineering and Information Technology (IT) related courses. Final Research Proposal 3
Effect of Immersive ( 360 ◦ ) Video on Attitude and Behavior Change

The present study is designed to test how the role of immersion, narrative content (focus on emotional immersion) and presence can affect one’s proenvironmental attitude and behavior with specific interest in 360◦ videos (i.e., immersive videos (IV)) and meat consumption as a non pro-environmental behavior. This thesis describes a between group design experiment that compares two systems with different levels of immersion (a tablet screen as the low immersion system and a head-mounted display as the high immersion system) and two types of narratives, one involving emotional content and the other not. In the study, 21 participants were subject to the IV condition (high immersion) where they watched, with an HMD, an emotional 360◦ video about meat consumption and its effects on the environment; another 21 participants experienced the Tablet condition (low immersion) where they viewed the same video but with a 10.1 inch tablet; 22 participants in the Control condition viewed a non emotional video about submarines with an HMD. The purpose of the experiment was to test the effect of presence and emotional impact on pro-environmental attitude and behavior. In a questionnaire, self-reported measurements were used to address presence, emotional impact and pro-environmental attitude, while an unobtrusive method evaluated pro-environmental behavior. The method consisted of offering the participants two snack options (pizza with and without meat), after being exposed to the videos, and then registering their choices. The results suggest that both immersion and emotional impact enhance self-reported presence; higher immersion and emotional impact led to a more pro-environmental attitude; narrative content and emotional immersion (i.e., personal attachment to the characters) enhanced pro-environmental behavior. However, no significant difference was found in pro-environmental behavior in relation to
Fostering Engagement with Gamification: Review of Current Practices on Online Learning Platforms

Student engagement is an important component of every learning process. Platforms offering Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and other online learning formats are looking for new ways to improve participation. One approach to foster greater user engagement that has recently risen to prominence in many fields is gamification. In this explorative study, we examine the motivational potential of gamification in online learning. After a review of the dynamic academic debates surrounding this relatively young field, we also try to shed some light on how practitioners are approaching gamification. Through an in-depth analysis of four platforms, we provide a survey of how experts are thinking about the design and implementation of gamification in online learning environments.
An approximation of filtered signal envelope with phase noise in coherent optical systems

We examine the approximation of the probability density of a filtered signal envelope in the presence of phase noise. The probability density function (pdf) is of practical interest, especially for the performance evaluation of coherent optical systems employing envelope detection. We consider a few possibilities for approximate pdf construction, and develop simple, yet very accurate, expressions to describe the envelope of a filtered signal influenced by phase noise. To check the accuracy, we use the approximation for performance evaluation of a coherent optical frequency-shift keying (FSK) receiver, and compare the results with those obtained from existing methods.
Weighted total least squares–Bayes filter-based estimation of relative pose for a space non-cooperative unknown target without a priori knowledge

The estimation of relative pose of a space non-cooperative target is an attractive yet challenging task due to the complexity of the target background and illumination, and the lack of a priori knowledge. Unfortunately, these negative factors have a grave impact on the accuracy of the estimation and the robustness of the filter algorithms. In response, this paper proposes a novel filter algorithm for estimating relative pose to improve robustness based on a stereovision system. First, to obtain a coarse relative pose, the weighted total least squares (WTLS) algorithm is adopted to estimate the relative pose based on several feature points. The resulting relative pose is fed into the subsequent filter scheme as an observation quantity. Second, the classic Bayes filter is exploited to estimate the relative state except for moment-of-inertia ratios. Additionally, the one-step prediction results are used as feedback for WTLS initialization. The proposed algorithm successfully eliminates the dependence on continuous tracking of several fixed points. Finally, comparison experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm presents a better performance in terms of robustness and convergence time.
SCN2A expression in the cerebral cortexes of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and correlation levels with oxidative stress

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease caused by excessive synchronized discharging of brain neurons. Epilepsy has been associated with a variety of voltage-gated sodium channel gene mutations, in which type II sodium channel (SCN2A) gene expression plays an important role in maintaining central nervous system function. Cell discharges increase free radicals, leading to induce epilepsy. The current study investigated the relationship between SCN2A expression and oxidative stress in the cortexes of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. A total of 30 cases of temporal lobe epilepsy were selected, including 15 cases of primary and 15 cases of secondary epilepsy. Moreover, 30 cases of normal brain tissues were used as controls. SCN2A expression was tested via RT-PCR and Western blotting. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine monophosphate (8-OHdG) were determined by ELISA. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) levels were assessed with spectrophotometry. SCN2A protein and mRNA expression levels were significantly reduced, while Cu/Zn SOD activity was obviously decreased. Additionally, NSE, 8-OHdG, and MDA levels were markedly enhanced in the epilepsy group, compared with controls (P < 0.05). SCN2A protein expression was positively correlated with Cu/Zn SOD activity (r = 0.76, P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with 8-OHdG and MDA (r = -0.68, -0.62, P < 0.05). SCN2A expression in cortical tissues of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy showed a potential relationship with oxidative stress, mediating the development of temporal lobe epilepsy.
Heterogenous Cellular and Humoral Immune Trajectories after SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Compensatory Responses in a Population-Based Cohort

To better understand the development of immunity against SARS-CoV-2 over time, we evaluated humoral and cellular responses a population-based cohort of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals covering the full spectrum of COVID-19 up to 217 days after diagnosis. We characterized anti-Spike (S)-IgA and -IgG antibody responses in 431 individuals and found that about 85% develop and maintain anti-S-IgG responses over time. In a subsample of 64 participants selected for a detailed characterization of immune responses, we additionally evaluated anti-Nucleocapsid (N)-IgG antibodies and T cell responses specific to viral Membrane (M), N, and S proteins. Most participants had detectable T cell responses to at least one of the four peptide pools analyzed, which were more frequent than antibody seropositivity. We found a moderate correlation between antibody and T cell responses, which declined over time and suggests important variability in response patterns between individuals. The heterogeneity of immune trajectories was further analyzed using cluster analyses taking into account joint antibody and T cell responses over time. We identified five distinct immune trajectory patterns, which were characterized by specific antibody, T cell and T cell subset patterns along with disease severity and demographic factors. Higher age, male sex, higher disease severity and being a non-smoker was significantly associated with stronger immune responses. Overall, the results highlight that there is a consistent and maintained antibody response among most SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals, while T cell responses appear to be more heterogenous but potentially compensatory among those with low antibody responses.